The Most Nutritious Vegetables, Ranked Without the Nonsense
We ranked vegetables by overall nutrient density, not by wellness hype. These are the ones that really earn their reputation.
Whole-category ranking instead of cherry-picked favorites
Nutrient density scoring that accounts for calories
Clear standout nutrients for each recommended food
Created By
EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
Reviewed By
Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
How This Page Is Made
Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
We analyzed all 821 vegetables and vegetable products in the USDA database and ranked them by overall nutritional density — factoring in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals relative to calories. All values are per 100g from USDA FoodData Central.
What is being ranked
These are category-specific foods scored for overall nutrient density, not just one headline vitamin or mineral.
Why calories matter
Foods score better when they deliver more useful nutrition for the calories they cost.
How to read it
Use the top of the list for reliable staples, then scan the tradeoffs before making a food a daily default.
What makes this category strong
Category spotlights are broader than nutrient posts. They reward foods that do several jobs well at once instead of winning one narrow metric.
Best for
Finding reliable staples inside one aisle of the grocery store.
Read the list this way
Higher-ranked foods usually combine better micronutrients, better fiber or protein, and a more reasonable calorie tradeoff.
Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw
Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw takes the top spot because the overall nutrient return for its calories is better than anything else we screened in this category. At only 13 kcal per 100g, it scores especially well because the nutrient return is high for very few calories. The biggest contributors to its score are vitamin A (25% DV), vitamin C (50% DV).
Watercress, raw
Watercress, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. At only 11 kcal per 100g, it scores especially well because the nutrient return is high for very few calories. The easiest thing to notice here is the vitamin C (48% DV).
Spinach, raw
Spinach, raw ranks #3 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. The calorie cost is still low at 23 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions. The biggest contributors to its score are vitamin A (52% DV), vitamin C (31% DV), folate (49% DV).
Turnip greens, raw
Turnip greens, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The calorie cost is still low at 32 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions. The biggest contributors to its score are vitamin A (64% DV), vitamin C (67% DV), folate (49% DV).
Amaranth leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt ranks #5 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. The calorie cost is still low at 21 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions. The easiest thing to notice here is the vitamin C (46% DV).
Beet greens, raw
Beet greens, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The calorie cost is still low at 22 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions. Its main nutritional strengths are vitamin A (35% DV), vitamin C (33% DV).
Dock, raw
Dock, raw ranks #7 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. 22 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation. Where it really pulls ahead is vitamin A (22% DV), vitamin C (53% DV), magnesium (25% DV).
Chard, swiss, raw
Chard, swiss, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The calorie cost is almost negligible at 19 kcal per 100g, which gives it a big density advantage. Where it really pulls ahead is vitamin A (34% DV), vitamin C (33% DV).
Mushrooms, brown, italian, or crimini, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. 22 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
Mushroom, white, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. 22 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
Lettuce, red leaf, raw
Lettuce, red leaf, raw ranks #11 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. At only 13 kcal per 100g, it scores especially well because the nutrient return is high for very few calories. The easiest thing to notice here is the vitamin A (42% DV).
Kale, raw
Kale, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. 35 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation. The biggest contributors to its score are calcium (20% DV), vitamin A (27% DV), vitamin C (104% DV).
Chicory greens, raw
Chicory greens, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. 23 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation. The biggest contributors to its score are vitamin A (32% DV), vitamin C (27% DV), folate (28% DV).
Cornsalad, raw
Cornsalad, raw ranks #14 and lands roughly in the top 2% of foods we screened in this category. 21 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation. The biggest contributors to its score are vitamin A (39% DV), vitamin C (42% DV).
Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw
Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The calorie cost is still low at 23 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions. Where it really pulls ahead is vitamin A (37% DV), vitamin C (30% DV).
How We Ranked
Each food was scored by adding up its contribution to 12 key daily values (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, C, D, magnesium, zinc, folate, and B12), capped at 100% each, then normalized by calories. This rewards foods that pack the most nutrition per calorie — true nutrient density.