Vegetable Nutrition Facts
for a Healthy Diet
Vegetable nutrition facts and calorie guides provide good diet tips when eating to lose weight. Regularly eating a variety of fresh vegetables rewards you not only with good health but also promotes faster weight loss. Learning about vegetable nutrition facts will show you why eating your vegetables is a wonderful way to help you lose weight. Veggies are chock full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Because most are low in calories, they make great snacks while eating to lose weight.
Try Something New
If you're not eating enough vegetables, you are missing a great way to eat better and help promote weight loss. Maybe as a child, you were introduced to veggies in a negative way that has stuck with you over the years. If visions of limp soggy spinach or broccoli comes to mind when you think of vegetables, try and experiment with something you don't really like and fix it in a new simple way. You just might surprise yourself and enjoy it!
Vegetable Nutrition FactsHow to Prepare Your Veggies
Boiling veggies to their mushy state not only makes them edibly unappealing, it also depletes them of their powerhouse of nutritional goodness. Instead, juice, steam, saute, roast, grill or add them to a salad in a way that is new to you. Overcooked vegetables lose vitamins, minerals and flavors if not cooked right. Here are some easy, healthy ways to prepare vegetables.
Juicing
Juicing is hands down the best method of consuming vegetables if you don't get your recommended daily amounts. Juicing provides maximum nutrition for the least amount of calories. Fresh juice is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other healthy components that give your body what it needs to function optimally. Juice is easily digested which makes it a great addition to your weight loss plan.
Steaming
Steaming is a good way to prepare and preserve nutrients and works best with veggies such as carrots, broccoli, spinach, beets, parsnips, peas and beans. Place them in a steaming basket over a couple inches of water. If you don't have a steaming basket, you can fill a pot with cut up vegetables and add about 1 1/2 inches of unsalted water and cover. Simmer until the vegetables are tender. Check that water hasn't evaporated and add some if it gets too low. Don't overcook. Test doneness with a fork.
Roasting
Roasting is an easy way for cooking vegetables. It also preserves the real flavor and keeps most of the vitamins and minerals. Cover prepared veggies with olive oil. Add garlic and onion, salt and pepper. Place them on a baking sheet. Roast them at 350 degrees until tender. This way works great for veggies like squash, sweet potatoes, carrots etc.
Stir-Frying
Stir-frying is also a healthy and nutrient preserving method. Add sliced vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, snow peas, carrots to liquid such as veggie or chicken broth and seasonings such as Chinese Five Spice or even simple salt and pepper. Stir constantly until crisp and steamy.
Grilling
Preparing veggies on the grill is simple and very tasty. Brush with a little olive oil, add a little salt and pepper. Just about any veggie can be grilled. Favorites are asparagus, tomato, most any type of squash for example.
Understanding simple vegetable nutrition facts will help you see why eating plenty of fresh produce is so important while losing weight and keeping it off. Mother Nature provides so many delicious foods for our health and wellbeing. Be sure and take advantage of Nature's Bounty!
Vegetable Nutrition Facts and Calorie Guide
Vegetable |
Calories |
Carbs g |
Fiber g |
Protein g |
| Artichoke medium |
60 |
13 |
7 |
4 |
| Asparagus 5 pcs |
25 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
| Bok choy 2 c. |
50 |
9 |
4 |
6 |
| Broccoli 3 pcs |
25 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
Brussel sprouts 5 med. |
40 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
Bell pepper 1 med |
30 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
Cabbage 1 cup |
45 |
13 |
4 |
3 |
Carrot 1 med. |
40 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
Cauliflower 1 cup |
35 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
Celery 1 stalk |
10 |
3 |
12 |
<1 |
Coriander (Cilantro) 1 tbsp |
5 |
<1 |
.2 |
.4 |
Collard greens 1/2 cup |
25 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
Corn on cob 1 large |
120 |
27 |
4 |
5 |
Cucumber 1 med. |
45 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
Eggplant 1 med. |
140 |
33 |
14 |
6 |
Fennel 1 med.bulb |
70 |
17 |
7 |
3 |
Garlic 2 cloves |
10 |
2 |
>1 |
>1 |
Ginger 1 tsp |
2 |
.4 |
0 |
0 |
Green beans 1 cup |
43 |
8 |
5 |
1 |
Kale 1 cup |
50 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
Kohlrabi 1 cup |
35 |
8 |
4 |
2 |
Leeks 1 med. |
50 |
13 |
4 |
2.5 |
Lettuce iceberg 1/2 head |
40 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
Lettuce leaf 1 1/2 cups |
15 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Mushrooms 5 med. |
20 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
Mustard greens 1 cup |
20 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
Okra 1 cup |
35 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
|
Onion 1 med. |
40 |
9 |
2 |
1 |
Onion red 1 med. |
40 |
9 |
2 |
1 |
Parsley 1/2 cup |
10 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Parsnip 1 cup |
110 |
22 |
5.5 |
2 |
Peas 1 cup |
123 |
19 |
8.5 |
8 |
Potato 1 med. |
125 |
26 |
3 |
4 |
Pumpkin 1 cup |
50 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
Radishes 7 med. |
10 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Rhubarb 1 cup |
25 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
Savoy Cabbage 1 cup |
20 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
Scallion (green onion) 2 |
4 |
0 |
.2 |
0 |
Snow Peas 1 cup |
40 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
Spinach 1 cup raw |
15 |
2 |
.5 |
1 |
Squash, butternut 1 cup raw |
60 |
16 |
5 |
1 |
Squash, spaghetti 1 cup |
45 |
12 |
2.5 |
1 |
Sweet Potato 1 med |
130 |
33 |
4 |
2 |
Swiss Chard 1 cup cooked |
35 |
4 |
3.5 |
3 |
Taro one cup raw |
116 |
6 |
4 |
1.5 |
Tomato medium |
35 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
Tomato roma 3 med. |
40 |
9 |
2 |
2 |
Turnip 1 medium |
35 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
Turnip greens 1 cup |
25 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
Watercress 1 cup |
5 |
>1 |
>1 |
0 |
Zucchini 1 cup sliced |
45 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
Trying veggies new ways based on vegetable nutrition facts and healthy diet tips is definitely worth your effort. A weight loss diet filled with fresh vegetables is the way to go for steady weight loss and wellness. Adding and enjoying vegetables won't happen overnight, so be patient and try something new frequently. You will be surprised how it helps you lose weight and create a whole new world of health!
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