Calories in vegetables
Most vegetables are the lowest-energy foods you can eat: leafy greens, cucumber, celery and tomatoes sit below 25 kcal per 100 g because they are more than 90% water. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet corn, peas and sweet potato are the main exception, at three to four times that, which is why nutrition guides often count them closer to grains.
Typical traits of vegetables
- Very low energy density. The median vegetable here has under 30 kcal per 100 g, so vegetables add volume, crunch and fibre to a meal without adding many kilojoules.
- Small amounts of everything. Carbohydrate dominates what little energy there is, with useful protein in peas, sweet corn and leafy greens and almost no fat.
- Strong micronutrient sources. Leafy greens are high in vitamin K and folate, orange vegetables in vitamin A, peppers and broccoli in vitamin C, and potatoes in potassium.
- Starchy versus non-starchy. Potato, corn, peas and squash supply real carbohydrate energy; lettuce, cucumber and celery barely register.
- Cooking fat is the real variable. Roasting in oil, frying or adding butter changes a vegetable dish far more than the vegetable itself.
Where the energy comes from
Averaged across the 39 vegetables below, most of the energy comes from carbohydrate. The bar shows the average share contributed by each macronutrient (4 kcal per gram for protein and carbohydrate, 9 for fat, 7 for alcohol).
Top 5 rankings
The highest and lowest vegetables for the figures people compare most. Every name links to the full nutrition breakdown.
Calorie table: all 39 vegetables
Energy in kcal and kJ with protein, carbohydrate, fat and fibre. Lowest: Pickles at 12 kcal; highest: Seaweed at 298 kcal per 100 g.
| Food | kcal | kJ | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g | Fibre g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artichoke Globe, boiled, without salt | 53 | 222 | 2.9 | 11.9 | 0.3 | 5.7 |
| Arugula Raw | 25 | 105 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Asparagus Raw | 20 | 84 | 2.2 | 3.9 | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| Baked potato Flesh and skin, baked, without salt | 93 | 389 | 2.5 | 21.1 | 0.1 | 2.2 |
| Bean sprouts Mung bean, raw | 30 | 126 | 3 | 5.9 | 0.2 | 1.8 |
| Beetroot Raw | 43 | 180 | 1.6 | 9.6 | 0.2 | 2.8 |
| Bell pepper Red, raw | 26 | 109 | 1 | 6 | 0.3 | 2.1 |
| Bok choy Raw | 13 | 54 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 1 |
| Broccoli Raw, florets and stalk | 34 | 142 | 2.8 | 6.6 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
| Butternut squash Raw | 45 | 188 | 1 | 11.7 | 0.1 | 2 |
| Cabbage Green, raw | 25 | 105 | 1.3 | 5.8 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| Carrots Raw | 41 | 172 | 0.9 | 9.6 | 0.2 | 2.8 |
| Cauliflower Raw | 25 | 105 | 1.9 | 5 | 0.3 | 2 |
| Celery Raw | 14 | 59 | 0.7 | 3 | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| Corn Sweet corn, yellow, raw | 86 | 360 | 3.3 | 18.7 | 1.4 | 2 |
| Cucumber With peel, raw | 15 | 63 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Eggplant Raw | 25 | 105 | 1 | 5.9 | 0.2 | 3 |
| Garlic Raw | 149 | 623 | 6.4 | 33.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
| Green beans Raw | 31 | 130 | 1.8 | 7 | 0.2 | 2.7 |
| Jalapeño Raw | 29 | 121 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 0.4 | 2.8 |
| Kale Raw | 35 | 146 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 4.1 |
| Kimchi Cabbage kimchi | 15 | 63 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 1.6 |
| Lettuce Green leaf, raw | 15 | 63 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 1.3 |
| Mushrooms White button, raw | 22 | 92 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 1 |
| Okra Raw | 33 | 138 | 1.9 | 7.5 | 0.2 | 3.2 |
| Onion Raw | 40 | 167 | 1.1 | 9.3 | 0.1 | 1.7 |
| Peas Green, frozen, boiled, without salt | 78 | 326 | 5.2 | 14.3 | 0.3 | 4.5 |
| Pickles Cucumber, dill | 12 | 50 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 1 |
| Potato Raw, flesh and skin | 77 | 322 | 2 | 17.5 | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| Pumpkin Raw | 26 | 109 | 1 | 6.5 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Radish Raw | 16 | 67 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 1.6 |
| Sauerkraut Canned, solids and liquids | 19 | 79 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
| Seaweed Dried (nori) | 298 | 1,247 | 31.8 | 52.4 | 4 | 5.6 |
| Spaghetti squash Cooked, boiled or baked, without salt | 27 | 113 | 0.7 | 6.5 | 0.3 | 1.4 |
| Spinach Raw | 23 | 96 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 2.2 |
| Sweet potato Raw, flesh and skin | 86 | 360 | 1.6 | 20.1 | 0.1 | 3 |
| Tomato Red, ripe, raw | 18 | 75 | 0.9 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Turnip Raw | 28 | 117 | 0.9 | 6.4 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| Zucchini With skin, raw | 17 | 71 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 1 |
Other food categories
- Fruit · 87 kcal avg
- Beans, lentils & soy · 135 kcal avg
- Grains, bread & pasta · 256 kcal avg
- Nuts & seeds · 601 kcal avg
- Dairy, eggs & alternatives · 200 kcal avg
- Meat & poultry · 237 kcal avg
- Fish & seafood · 137 kcal avg
- Oils, sauces & condiments · 276 kcal avg
- Sweets & snacks · 410 kcal avg
- Drinks · 28 kcal avg
- Alcoholic drinks · 148 kcal avg
To compare categories side by side, see the energy density chart on the food index. To convert any figure between units, use the kilojoule and calorie converter.
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy and FNDDS). Values are averages; individual samples vary.