Calories in Vegetables
Vegetables and leafy greens nutrition facts. 21 vegetables with detailed nutrition.
Vegetables at a glance
Best vegetables for weight loss
Lowest calorie density, highest fiber, easiest to add volume to any meal:
Cucumber
16 calories per 100g, 95% water. The lowest calorie-density common vegetable.
Spinach
23 calories per 100g, 3g fiber, plus iron, folate, and vitamin K. Nutrient-dense per calorie.
Broccoli
34 calories per 100g, 2.6g fiber, sulforaphane (a cancer-protective compound). And it's one of the few vegetables most people will actually eat regularly.
Zucchini
17 calories per 100g. Works as a low-cal pasta substitute when spiralized or sliced.
Cauliflower
25 calories per 100g and the most versatile substitute in low-carb cooking (rice, mash, pizza crust).
All vegetables (21)
Broccoli
31 cal / 1 cup chopped, raw
2.5g protein • 6g carbs • 0.3g fat
Spinach
7 cal / 1 cup raw
0.9g protein • 1.1g carbs • 0.1g fat
Carrot
25 cal / 1 medium carrot (7")
0.6g protein • 5.8g carbs • 0.1g fat
Cucumber
16 cal / 1 cup sliced
0.7g protein • 3.8g carbs • 0.1g fat
Tomato
22 cal / 1 medium tomato
0.9g protein • 3.9g carbs • 0.2g fat
Onion
44 cal / 1 medium onion
1.1g protein • 9.3g carbs • 0.1g fat
Bell Pepper
34 cal / 1 medium bell pepper
0.7g protein • 4.8g carbs • 0.1g fat
Celery
6 cal / 1 medium stalk
0.7g protein • 3g carbs • 0.2g fat
Zucchini
29 cal / 1 medium zucchini
1g protein • 3.3g carbs • 0.2g fat
Asparagus
27 cal / 1 cup (about 12 spears)
2.2g protein • 3.9g carbs • 0.1g fat
Cauliflower
41 cal / 1 medium cauliflower
1.6g protein • 4.7g carbs • 0.2g fat
Kale
35 cal / 100g
2.9g protein • 4.4g carbs • 1.5g fat
Lettuce (Iceberg)
9 cal / 1 cup shredded
0.7g protein • 3.4g carbs • 0.1g fat
Romaine Lettuce
8 cal / 1 cup shredded
1.2g protein • 3.2g carbs • 0.3g fat
Garlic
4 cal / 1 clove
6.4g protein • 33.1g carbs • 0.5g fat
Brussels Sprouts
38 cal / 1 cup (about 8 sprouts)
3.4g protein • 9g carbs • 0.3g fat
Taro
148 cal / 1 cup sliced
1.5g protein • 26.5g carbs • 0.2g fat
Green Beans
44 cal / 1 cup whole
2g protein • 7.4g carbs • 0.3g fat
Cabbage
28 cal / 1 cup shredded
1g protein • 6.4g carbs • 0.2g fat
Mushrooms
15 cal / 1 cup sliced
3.1g protein • 3.3g carbs • 0.3g fat
Eggplant
21 cal / 1 cup cubed
1g protein • 5.9g carbs • 0.2g fat
Highest fiber vegetables
Average adult fiber intake is 15g a day. Barely half the 25-35g target. These pull the most weight per serving:
Brussels Sprouts
4g fiber per cup cooked, plus glucosinolates linked to estrogen metabolism. Roast at 425°F until crispy or you'll convince yourself you don't like them.
Broccoli
5g fiber per cup cooked plus sulforaphane. And one of the few green vegetables almost everyone will actually eat twice a week.
Carrot
3.6g fiber per cup raw. Eat with fat (hummus, peanut butter, olive oil). Beta-carotene absorption jumps 5-10x.
About vegetables
Vegetables are the cheat code of weight loss: 15-50 calories per 100g, real stomach volume, and micronutrients no supplement replicates. The single highest-leverage move most people can make is doubling vegetable volume to half the plate by sight. It crowds out higher-calorie foods automatically.
Variety matters more than quantity of any single one. Each color flags a different polyphenol family, so a mixed plate beats a mountain of one favorite.
Tips for eating vegetables
Roast at 425°F, salt generously
Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts and turns them into something a picky eater will eat seconds of. Salt + olive oil + a hot oven is a non-negotiable upgrade over steaming for daily adherence.
Always pair fat-soluble veg with fat
Carotenoids (carrots, sweet potato, tomatoes), vitamin K (spinach, kale), and lycopene (cooked tomatoes) need fat for absorption. A 1-2 tbsp drizzle of olive oil on salad lifts beta-carotene uptake 5-10x. Eating salad dry literally wastes nutrients.
Sunday-prep washed and cut containers
Washed, pre-cut produce is eaten 2-3x more often than whole. Spend 20 minutes on Sunday with carrots, celery, peppers, and broccoli florets in clear containers at eye level in the fridge. It's the single biggest weekly veg-intake lever.
Stock frozen, no excuses
Frozen veg is flash-cooled within hours of harvest and often higher in vitamin C than supermarket 'fresh.' Keep frozen broccoli, peas, and spinach permanently in the freezer. A stir-fry or omelet add-in is then never more than five minutes away.
Microwave > boil for nutrients
Boiling leaches water-soluble vitamins (C, folate, B vitamins) into water you pour down the drain. Microwave-steaming a covered bowl with two tablespoons of water keeps 90%+ of the vitamin C. And takes four minutes.
Sneak vegetables into dishes you already eat
Grate a zucchini into pasta sauce, blend cauliflower into mac and cheese, fold spinach into scrambled eggs, double the bell peppers in any stir-fry. You hit fiber targets without changing what's on the menu.
In-season eating
Asparagus April-May. Tomatoes and corn June-September. Hard squash and root vegetables September-November. Brussels sprouts and kale October-February. Broccoli, cabbage, and onions year-round. In-season produce costs 20-40% less and tastes noticeably better.
Storage guide
Leafy greens last 5-7 days in a sealed container with a paper towel to wick moisture. Onions, potatoes, garlic, and winter squash sit in a cool, dark pantry for 2-4 weeks. Never the fridge. Tomatoes never get refrigerated; cold kills the flavor compounds permanently. Carrots, peppers, broccoli, and cucumbers go in the crisper drawer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: Apr 24, 2026