Vegetables come from all parts of the plant kingdom.We consider grains, beans, fruits and nuts as separate categories of foods, and lump all of the other edible parts of plants as "Vegetables". This catch-all food group includes leaves (lettuce, spinach, kale); stalks (celery, asparagus), flowers (artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower), young seeds (green peas, lima beans) and roots or tubers (carrots, beets, potatoes.) Fruits that are not sweet, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, are included in the list of vegetables.

Most vegetables have a very high water content and lots of fiber, so they add a lot of bulk to meals without many calories. The colors of vegetables give clues to their vitamin content: darker green vegetables are usually good sources of B vitamins, while red and yellow ones are high in vitamins A and C; but all vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, so everyone should eat as wide a variety as possible.

The nutritional content of vegetables is usually highest in those that are eaten fresh-picked and raw, but not always. Some phytochemicals are not released until the vegetable is cooked; for example, tomato sauce and tomato paste are better sources of a cancer-preventing phytochemical, lycopene, than fresh tomatoes. The nutrient content of frozen and canned vegetables is plenty high enough to make them worthwhile additions to your meals. Variety is the key; eat the widest possible array of raw and cooked vegetables, selected and prepared to suit your tastes, your budget and your convenience. 

Root vegetables: Some plants have storage roots or tubers that contain large amounts of starch or sugar. The root vegetables include carrots, potatoes, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams, yuca, taro and various tropical roots. Root vegetables should be treated with the same caution as fruits by people who are diabetic or trying to lose weight: eat them in combination with other foods, not by themselves. A baked potato or carrots eaten by themselves as snacks will cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, but if you avoid them completely, you deprive yourself of their vitamins and phytochemicals. When you eat them with other foods, you slow the rise in blood sugar. (Watery, fibrous root vegetables such as radishes or onions do not require this caution.)

Vegetables (Fresh, Frozen, Canned or Dried)
	Alfalfa sprouts
	Amaranth leaves
	Arugula
	Artichokes
	Asparagus
	Avocados
	Bamboo shoots
	Bean sprouts
	Beans, green
	Beans, yellow snap
	Beans, lima
	Beet greens
	Bok choy
	Broccolli
	Broccoflower
	Broccolini
	Brussels sprouts
	Cabbage
	Cabbage, Chinese
	Cabbage, Napa
	Cabbage, red
	Cabbage, savoy
	Cauliflower
	Celery
	Chard, swiss
	Chayote
	Collards
	Corn
	Cress, garden
	Cucumbers
	Dandelion greens
	Eggplant
	Endive
	Escarole
	Fennel
	Grape leaves
	Kohlrabi
	Leeks
	Lettuce
	Mizuni greens
	Mushrooms
	Mustard greens
	Okra
	Onions
	Onions, spring or green
	Palm hearts
	Peas, black-eyed
	Peas, green
	Peas, snow
	Peas, sugar snap
	Peppers
	Pumpkin
	Radicchio
	Radishes
	Rapini
	Seaweed
	Shallots
	Soybeans, green
	Spinach
	Squash, summer
	Squash, yellow
	Squash, crookneck
	Squash, zucchini
	Squash, winter
	Squash, butternut
	Squash, acorn
	Squash, hubbard
	Squash, spaghetti
	Swiss chard
	Tomatillos
	Tomatoes
	Water chestnuts
	Watercress
	Mixed vegetables
	Vegetable soups
	All other vegetables except root vegetables

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