17 of the Healthiest Vegetables, According to Research

“Eat your veggies!” Most people have heard this at some point in their life. And while many people know that vegetables are good for them, they might not realize just how healthy vegetables can be.

Eating vegetables every day can reduce your risk for chronic diseases, improve brain function, and even help you live longer. But only about 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. actually eats the recommended two or more servings per day. 

In this article, we’ll review the health benefits of vegetables and highlight which ones have the most nutrients — so you can get the biggest bang for your buck.

Which nutrients do vegetables provide?

Vegetables are an excellent source of many essential nutrients, such as:

• Fiber, which keeps digestion regular, lowers cholesterol, and helps with weight management

• Prebiotics, a specific type of fiber that feed the good bacteria in your gut to support healthy gut function (found in vegetables like garlic, onions, and leeks)

• Potassium, a mineral that’s essential for muscle and nerve function and may help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke

• Folate, which helps your body make red blood cells and is especially important during pregnancy because it helps reduce the risk of birth defects in the brain and spine

• Vitamin A, which keeps your skin healthy and strengthens your immune system

• Vitamin C, which improves immunity, decreases inflammation, and helps your body absorb iron

• Iron, a mineral that’s important for brain function and for making red blood cells 

• Calcium, which is crucial for bone health and may also help protect against colon cancer and high blood pressure

• Antioxidants, which are nutrients that protect your cells from damage and may lower your risk for conditions like heart disease and cancer

What are the healthiest vegetables? 

All vegetables are healthy. They’re naturally low in fat and salt, full of water, and packed with nutrients. So, you can’t go wrong when choosing a vegetable. But when it comes to proven health benefits, here are 17 of the healthiest vegetables according to scientific research. 

1. Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable. It contains a chemical compound called sulforaphane, which scientists have studied for its medicinal effects. Studies suggest sulforaphane may: 

• Lower the risk of cardiovascular disease 

• Prevent steroid-induced osteoporosis 

• Have anticancer properties

One large meta-analysis suggests that eating 40 g to 60 g of cruciferous vegetables per day (that’s equivalent to ½ cup of broccoli) could lower your risk of developing colon cancer by almost 20%. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Easy ways to eat more vegetables: Vegetables are full of the nutrients you need to protect your health. These tips can help you get more of them into your daily diet. 

• What are the healthiest fruits? Lemons, blueberries, and apples are just a few of the fruits that offer advanced health benefits. Read more about these fruits with proven benefits for your overall health.

• Which veggies are highest in fiber? All vegetables — fresh, canned, or frozen — can help you reach your daily fiber needs. But broccoli, beans, and pumpkin are some of the most fiber-rich vegetables.

Broccoli is also an excellent source of vitamin C and iron. 

2. Kale

Kale has become more popular as a health food in the past few decades. But this leafy green cruciferous vegetable has been used as medicine for much longer. 

Kale owes its healthy reputation to an antioxidant called lutein. This nutrient helps prevent:

• Eye diseases, like cataracts or diabetic eye problems 

• Cardiovascular problems, like high blood pressure

• Skin irritation

• Osteoporosis 

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Kale is also an excellent source of iron, calcium, and folate. 

3. Spinach

Spinach contains many of the same health benefits as broccoli and kale. It’s particularly rich in phytochemicals. These are plant compounds that support the immune system and nourish skin and bone health. Phytochemicals may also support weight management by suppressing appetite. 

Spinach also contains nutrients that may help:

• Maintain healthy muscles 

• Improve heart health

• Boost immune function

In addition, spinach is higher in iron than other vegetables. It’s also a great source of vitamin A and fiber. 

4. Carrots

Carrots contain carotenoids, pigments which give them their vibrant orange color (or yellow or red). Carotenoids also have antioxidant properties. This means they might play a role in:

• Preventing age-related diseases, like Alzheimer’s and memory loss

• Protecting your skin from sunburns and reducing your risk of skin cancer

• Keeping your immune system healthy

Carrots are also a great source of fiber and vitamin A. 

5. Bell peppers

Bell peppers come in yellow, green, and red varieties. Each color has its own unique health benefits. Eating a variety of colors is a great way to get all of their nutrients:

• Red peppers contain capsaicin, which may help with pain relief, cancer prevention, and weight loss. 

• Yellow peppers are high in flavonoids, which are especially helpful for learning and memory. 

• Green peppers are a great source of phenolic acids, which can lower your risk of diabetes and help prevent skin damage.

Bell peppers are also high in vitamin C. Just 1 cup has about 3 times more vitamin C than an orange. They’re also one of the most hydrating foods. 

6. Beets

Beets contain betalains. These are pigments with nitrogen that give vegetables and fruits that deep purple color. Betalains can lower your risk of developing: 

• High blood pressure

• Heart disease

• High cholesterol

• Cancer

Beets are also rich in folate and potassium.

7. Sweet potato

Sweet potatoes are filled with carotenoids and polysaccharides, which have far-reaching health benefits. There’s evidence that sweet potatoes can help: 

• Improve absorption of vitamin A

• Control blood sugar

• Prevent constipation 

• Improve liver function

Sweet potatoes are also filled with micronutrients like manganese, copper, potassium, and iron. 

8. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are considered a vegetable, but they have some unique qualities. For starters, a mushroom isn’t a plant or an animal — it’s a fungus. As a fungus, mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D, which most other vegetables don’t provide. Vitamin D helps maintain healthy bones and muscles.

People have considered mushrooms a healing food since the Romans called them the “food of the gods.” Modern research suggests that mushrooms may lower your risk of:

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Parkinson’s disease

• High blood pressure

• Stroke 

9. Red cabbage

Red cabbage, a cruciferous vegetable, shares many of the same health benefits as its cousins, broccoli and kale. But the rich purple color in cabbage is due to its anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are natural pigments that are especially helpful for:

• Improving brain health

• Helping with heart function

• Lowering cancer risk 

Red cabbage is also especially high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber.

10. Garlic

Garlic has been used as medicine in many different cultures for thousands of years. That’s because garlic is jam-packed with polyphenols. These are plant compounds that can improve your health. Studies have shown that garlic may help lower your risk for conditions like:

• Osteoarthritis

• Skin conditions

• Heart disease

• Cancer 

• Diabetes

Garlic is also filled with prebiotics and sulfur compounds, which give it many health benefits. 

11. Onions

Another great way to add some nutritious flavor to a meal is to use onions. Onions have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties. Eating onions regularly may: 

• Improve wound healing

• Help prevent gallstones

• Improve digestion 

• Lower your risk of cancer

Onions also contain vitamin C and fiber. 

12. Eggplant

Eggplant is filled with phytochemicals and it may lower your risk for metabolic syndrome by helping to:

• Regulate blood sugar

• Reduce body fat

• Lower blood pressure

• Lower cholesterol

Eggplants are also high in soluble fiber, potassium, manganese, and other micronutrients. 

13. Cauliflower

Cauliflower, another cruciferous vegetable, is a great source of vitamin C. Just 1 cup provides over half of your daily needs.

The powerful antioxidants and other plant compounds in cauliflower have anti-inflammatory effects that may also support brain health. Recent research suggests that eating cruciferous vegetables may help maintain brain function and slow cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.

14. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the main food source of the antioxidant lycopene. Like other antioxidants, lycopene helps protect your cells from damage. It may be even more effective than other antioxidants at stopping the cellular damage caused by free radicals. 

Research has linked lycopene to a reduced risk of several different health conditions, including:

• Heart disease

• Prostate cancer

• Type 2 diabetes

Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C and potassium.

15. Green peas

Green peas are one of the highest-protein vegetables, with almost 9 g of protein per cooked cup. 

Green peas are also a notably high-fiber vegetable, with 9 g per cup — nearly a third of your daily needs. Both fiber and protein are very filling nutrients, which makes peas a good food for weight management. 

16. Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are part of the cruciferous family, so they share many of the same health benefits as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower. According to the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), a compound in Brussels sprouts may help restrict tumor growth by blocking the aggressive enzymes that are responsible for cancer growth.

Brussels sprouts also contain more than 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement. And they’re higher in protein than many vegetables, with 4 g per cooked cup. 

17. Asparagus

Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, which is crucial for proper blood clotting. Vitamin K also supports healthy bones. It does this by working together with vitamin D to help calcium get deposited into bones instead of your arteries. This also benefits the heart by preventing calcification. This is when calcium deposits build up in the walls of arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.

Asparagus is also high in B vitamins, fiber, and folate.

Nutrients in different forms of vegetables

Vegetables provide nutrients no matter what form they’re in. But different forms of veggies may have different amounts of vitamins and minerals:

• Fresh vegetables: These serve as the baseline for nutritional content. But even among fresh veggies, the level of ripeness can affect nutrient content. And the timing of harvest may affect how many nutrients remain. 

• Frozen vegetables: Frozen vegetables have nutritional content very similar to fresh ones. Most are frozen quickly after harvesting, which helps retain most of their nutrients. Because frozen veggies are affordable and convenient, they may help you eat more vegetables.

• Boiled vegetables: Boiling can decrease nutrients in certain vegetables. This is because the vitamins can “leak out” into the water. 

• Steamed vegetables: Steaming is probably the best way to keep or even increase the availability of nutrients in vegetables. For example, steaming broccoli can actually increase the availability of its antioxidants.

• Fermented vegetables: Fermentation enhances some of the nutrients in vegetables. The fermentation process also adds probiotics, which improves gut — and overall — health. 

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Written by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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