Vegetable Nutrition: Healthy Veggies to Add to Your Diet

Fresh vegetables provide a cornucopia of goodness, and variety adds excitement to your meals. Be sure to rotate these winners onto your grocery list!

• Green beans are a good source of vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and potassium.
• Dried beans provide protein, B vitamins, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
• Cabbage is high in vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, potassium, and fiber.
• Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, vitamins A and K, and potassium.
• Sweet corn is high in beta-carotene and lutein.* It also supplies B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, and folic acid.
• Eggplant is high in fiber, potassium, manganese, and vitamin B1.
• Leeks are a good source of fiber, iron, and vitamins A and C, and they contain the cancer-fighting phytochemical diallyl sulfide.
• Okra provides vitamin C and the B vitamins, magnesium, lutein, and potassium.
• Peas pack plenty of protein, B vitamins, vitamins C and A, manganese, iron, potassium, and lutein.
• Peppers have lots of beta-carotene as well as vitamins B6, C, and A and potassium.
• Potatoes, with skins, are a good source of protein, iron, vitamin C, and potassium.
• Shallots are a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, manganese, and folic acid.
• Summer squash is high in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Both dark green and yellow squashes are excellent sources of lutein.
• Sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, and C; iron; fiber; and potassium. Plus, just 1 cup of sweet potato contains 4 times the recommended daily allowance of beta-carotene!

*Lutein is an antioxidant that helps prevent blindness.

Don’t see your favorite vegetable on the list? Although practically every veggie has nutritional benefits, the above crops are true powerhouses. For more information on vegetable nutrition, check out the USDA Food Composition Database.

What are your favorite veggies? Tell us in the comments!