As a dietitian who has helped many clients with weight management over the years, I can tell you thatthe number one vegetable for weight loss istheone that you will eat.Think about it: The only way to reap all the health benefits from veggies is to actually eat them. Every vegetable has nutritional value (yes, even starchy ones like potatoes), so there is no need to get into the weeds about which might have an edge over another. What does appear to work best for long-term weight management success: making small changes that you can maintain, versus trying to do a total diet overhaul. Adding an extra serving of vegetables to your plate or replacing higher-calorie foods with produce are good examples of small but sustainable changes that can help you lose weight.

Why Should You Eat Vegetables for Weight Loss?

Research shows that people who eat plenty of vegetables tend to weigh less than those who don’t. In addition to providing a large and satisfying amount of food, veggies can take the place of other higher-calorie foods. One 2020 review of studies, published inNutrients, found that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in women is a major contributor to weight loss.And a 2019 meta-analysis published in the journalAdvances in Nutritionconcluded that people who ate more vegetables were 22% less likely to gain weight in the long term (up to 12 years in some of the included studies!).Those who ate about three to four servings (200 to 300 grams) of veggies per day had the lowest risk of overweight and obesity.

The fiber in vegetables can help with weight loss in a couple of different ways. Fiber is a nutrient that has bulk that helps fill you up, but since it isn’t digestible, it doesn’t provide any calories for energy to our cells. It also moves slowly through your digestive tract and stimulates the release of satiety hormones like GLP-1 and PYY, per a review published inCritical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition,so you feel satisfied longer after a meal.Finally, the fiber in vegetables causes a more gradual and lower insulin response that also stabilizes your appetite.

Eat the Veggies You Love

Because pretty much every vegetable has strong nutritional qualities, go for the ones you enjoy the most. And if you prefer your veg with a bit of butter, creamy sauce, cheese, dressing or other not-so-healthy fat, consider this permission to add them. Yes, you read that right. Putting a source of fat on your veggies—I’m not saying a ton, but some—can be a great way to enhance or complement the flavor. (Thesegarlic-butter cauliflower bites, for example, would not be nearly as delicious without the butter, olive oil and Parmesan cheese.) Weight loss is only successful if you can maintain your healthy eating habits for the long term, which means you should be enjoying the vegetables in your meals.

Plus, there’s evidence that thebenefits of eating more vegetablescan outweigh any negative impact of a little butter or cheese. In fact, adding a source of fat can actually help your body absorb vitamins in vegetables like vitamins A, E and K.

The Bottom Line

The best vegetable for helping you reach your weight-loss goals and improve your overall health is the one you enjoy and will actually eat. Since filling at least half of your plate with vegetables is a great tool for weight loss, focusing on consuming a variety of vegetables is a great way to make it more appealing and sustainable. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of sauce or dressing on those veggies to make them delicious, either!

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Sources

EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

Nour M, Lutze SA, Grech A, Allman-Farinelli M.The Relationship between Vegetable Intake and Weight Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies.Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1626. doi:10.3390/nu10111626

Ge L, Sadeghirad B, Ball G D C, da Costa B R, Hitchcock C L, Svendrovski A et al.Comparison of dietary macronutrient patterns of 14 popular named dietary programmes for weight and cardiovascular risk factor reduction in adults: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials.BMJ2020; 369:m696 doi:10.1136/bmj.m696

Dreher ML, Ford NA.A Comprehensive Critical Assessment of Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake on Weight Loss in Women.Nutrients. 2020;12(7):1919. doi:10.3390/nu12071919

Schlesinger S, Neuenschwander M, Schwedhelm C, et al.Food groups and Risk of overweight, obesity, and weight Gain: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.Advances in Nutrition. 2018;10(2):205-218. doi:10.1093/advances/nmy092

Waddell IS, Orfila C.Dietary fiber in the prevention of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases: From epidemiological evidence to potential molecular mechanisms.Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2022;63(27):8752-8767. doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2061909