In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleBenefits of These VegetablesCauliflowerSpaghetti SquashAvocadoCabbageZucchiniRomaine LettuceGreen PeasKaleSpinachCarrotsBell PeppersBroccoli
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Benefits of These Vegetables
Cauliflower
Spaghetti Squash
Avocado
Cabbage
Zucchini
Romaine Lettuce
Green Peas
Kale
Spinach
Carrots
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Filling half of your plate with vegetables is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to lose weight. In general, most vegetables offer a lot of nutrients but not a lot of calories.
Read on to find out why vegetables aid weight loss and explore our experts' top vegetable recommendations for shedding pounds.
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Why Should You Eat Vegetables for Weight Loss?
Compared to many other foods, vegetables are low in calories and high in water and fiber. Typically, 1 cup of vegetables has only 20 to 50 calories.Fiber is a type of carbohydratethat is key for weight loss. It moves through the digestive tract slowly, keeping you full longer. The calories from fiber are not absorbed, but fiber does provide satisfying volume and makes us feel full. This helps to suppress your appetite throughout the day, making it easier to eat fewer calories. Fiber also slows blood sugar and insulin spikes, which slow fat storage.
We asked dietitians for their thoughts on vegetables that may help with weight loss; here are their top choices.
1. Cauliflower
From cauliflower pizza to cauliflower rice, cauliflower is here to stay—and for good reason! One cup of chopped cauliflower has only 27 calories, with 2 grams of fiber and 2 g of protein.
“It’s filling and versatile,” saysElysia Cartlidge, M.A.N., RD, a registered dietitian at Haute & Healthy Living. “My favorite way to prepare cauliflower is to chop it up, drizzle it with some olive oil and a generous sprinkle of garlic powder and nutritional yeast, and then roast it in the oven until lightly browned and crispy along the edges. Roasting the cauliflower brings out so much flavor, so it’s a great way to incorporate more vegetables and fiber, especially if you’re not a veggie lover.”
Not a fan ofroasted cauliflower? Registered dietitianMoushumi Mukherjee, M.S., RDN recommends ricing it, or you can buy it pre-riced in the frozen section of your grocery store.
Tomake riced cauliflower, chop it up and pulse it in a food processor to achieve a rice-like texture. “Then freeze it and use it in smoothies, soups, curry and fried rice,” says Mukherjee. Because cauliflower has a mild flavor, it can be mixed into just about any dish.
Nutrition Facts
According to theUSDA, 1 cup chopped raw cauliflower contains:
2. Spaghetti Squash
Jacob Fox
Get the Recipe:Spaghetti Squash with Herbs & Garlic Breadcrumbs
“All winter squashes are low-calorie foods effective for weight loss. But spaghetti squash is my personal favorite,” saysCheryl Mussatto M.S., RD, LD, author ofThe Nourished Brain.“It’s the perfect low-calorie alternative—only 42 calories in 1 cup—for anyone wanting to cut back on conventional spaghetti. It’s also low-fat and provides fiber that’s both filling and nutritious. And for those with diabetes who need to limit their carbohydrate intake, it won’t spike blood sugar the same way pasta might. So, not only is spaghetti squash a great go-to weight-loss food, but you’ll also still retain that ‘spaghetti’ mouthfeel we all love.”
Cook up a spaghetti squashor two and use it as a substitute for any pasta dish, or use half noodles and half spaghetti squash. Remember to pair it with other colorful vegetables and protein for a balanced meal.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup cooked spaghetti squash contains:
3. Avocado
Yeah, yeah, we knowavocadosare technically a fruit, but we had to include them for their fat-burning properties (and most people treat them like a vegetable). That may sound like a contradiction since avocados are high in fat. However, they are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which keeps you full because it is digested slowly.
Half of an avocado has a whopping 5 g of fiber—half the amount to aim for at each meal. Avocados are versatile, making it easy to get them into your diet on a regular basis.
Mix a quarter to one-half of an avocado into any smoothie for a creamy, silky treat (you can’t taste the avocado), add sliced avocado to a salad or make guacamole for a snack. Avocados are also delicious on tacos,in tuna saladand inegg salad. Stick to a serving size of a quarter to half an avocado. One medium avocado has 240 calories, so it is possible to have too much of a good thing if your goal is to lose weight.
According to theUSDA, ½ of an avocado contains:
4. Cabbage
Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless
Get the Recipe:Simple Cabbage Salad
“Cabbage is low in calories and high in fiber,” says registered dietitianJinan Banna, Ph.D., RD. “Consuming enough fiber is an important part of a diet for weight loss, as it helps you to stay full and provides little in the way of calories.”
Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale.Cruciferous vegetablescontain potent phytonutrients that can help fight off cancer and reduce inflammation. And with only 22 calories and 5 g of total carbs per cup, cabbage is diabetes- and weight-loss-friendly. Plus, it’s versatile. You can roast it, create a coleslaw or throw it on fish tacos. “It also can be used to make fermented dishes such as kimchi, which [may] promote a healthy gut,” says Banna.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup chopped raw cabbage contains:
5. Zucchini
“Zucchiniis a great way to add fiber, volume and nutrients with very few calories,” says Anya Rosen, M.S., RD, LD, CPT, a functional medicine practitioner based in New York City. One cup of sliced zucchini has only 19 calories and 3.5 g of total carbohydrates. “It has a neutral taste that easily adapts to other more flavorful ingredients—both sweet and savory. You can grate it into oatmeal, add it to a smoothie or sub it for pasta,” says Rosen.
Zucchini is also delicious when it’s roasted and cooks quickly on the stove, making it easy to add to stovetop dishes like pasta and stir-fries. You can even swap out noodles for zoodles, also known as zucchini noodles,made with a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. And don’t forgetzucchini makes delicious baked goodstoo.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup sliced raw zucchini contains:
6. Romaine Lettuce
Jason Donnelly
Get the Recipe:Caesar Salad with Grilled Steak
If you’re looking for one of the lowest-calorie vegetables, romaine lettuce has only 8 calories per cup. The downside is that it is pretty low in fiber too, with just 1 g per cup. But it’s a great “catch-all” vegetable, says registered dietitianJennifer Fiske, M.S., RDN, LD.“Meaning you can toss a lot of things in and have a great dish. You can also use romaine hearts for lettuce wraps and to add crunch to sandwiches. I recommend buying a three-pack and prepping as needed; they last much longer than precut lettuce. Romaine lettuce is a low-calorie food rich in a variety of nutrients, such as folate, and has a mild flavor. It’s not fancy or flashy, but it’s versatile, affordable and great for weight loss”.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce contains:
7. Green Peas
Peas are starchy vegetables (like potatoes and corn), meaning they have more carbohydrates than non-starchy vegetables. But green peas pack a punch of fiber and protein, something most other vegetables can’t boast about. One cup of peas has 8 g of fiber and 8 g of protein. Similar to fiber, protein promotes satiety, and high-protein diets are associated with weight loss, according to a 2020 study published in theJournal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome. The body burns twice as many calories digesting protein than carbs and fat.
From snap peas to snow peas, there are many varieties to choose from. Peas can be enjoyed plain ormixed into a variety of disheslike fried rice, pasta or soup.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup peas contains:
8. Kale
Get the Recipe:Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
One cup of kale has only 7 calories, which means you can fill your entire plate with 4 to 5 cups of kale for under 50 calories. It also “has a rougher texture than other greens, so it takes a little longer to chew,” says registered dietitianLisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition. And eating slowly helps you feel full with fewer calories.
Kale’srough texture isn’t for everyone, but there areplenty of ways to enjoy it. Roast kale on a baking sheet for homemade crunchy kale chips or blend it into a smoothie to add filling fiber. To reduce the roughness of raw kale,massage itwith olive oil and lemon juice and let it stand for several minutes before tossing in your other salad ingredients.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup chopped raw kale contains:
9. Spinach
Spinachmakes a perfect staple in your refrigerator because there are so many ways to sneak it into your diet. It has a milder taste and texture than kale, which appeals to more people’s taste buds.
Nutrition-wise, spinach is similar to kale, with 7 calories and 0.7 g of fiber per cup.Enjoy spinachin a salad, smoothie, stir-fry or pasta dish. Or sauté it with olive oil, salt and pepper for a savory side dish. You can buy it fresh or frozen. If it’s starting to wilt, add it to soup or toss the whole bag in the freezer to use for smoothies.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup raw spinach contains:
10. Carrots
Victor Protasio
Get the Recipe:Cumin Roasted Carrots with Dill Yogurt
Whilecarrotshave a little more sugar than other vegetables, they also have more fiber. One cup of carrots delivers 3.5 g of fiber, which is three times the amount of fiber in a cup of leafy greens. And they are still low in calories at 52 per cup. Carrots are a crunchy alternative to potato chips, which have about130 caloriesin a serving size of just 12 to 15 chips. And perhaps most important, chips lack the fiber that is present in carrots.
Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, author ofFinally Full, Finally Slim,loves carrots for their versatility. “You can eat them raw, shredded in salads or you can roast them with different spices or sauces, so you can enjoy them sweet or savory. And they are high in fiber and super [nutritious]. You will never be bored with this veggie,” says Young.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup chopped raw carrots contains:
11. Bell Peppers
“Bell peppers are low in calories and high in nutrients. In fact, one bell pepper contains more vitamin C than an orange! With research linking those with lower vitamin C levels to higher amounts of body fat, this is a vegetable that should top your grocery list!” says registered dietitian Christie Gagnon, RD, owner of Hoorah to Health.
Red, orange and yellow peppers are sweet, making them easy to eat. One cup of sliced raw peppers has just 24 calories with 2 g of fiber. Dip peppers in hummus ortzatziki, add them to a turkey wrap or cook them in a skillet alongside onions for some fiber-packed fajitas.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup sliced raw red pepper contains:
12. Broccoli
Brie Passano
Get the Recipe:Lemon-Garlic Dump Chicken Thighs with Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetablewith cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory compounds, specifically sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol, per a 2023 review inAntibiotics. Broccoli also has the antioxidant quercetin, which may help lower blood pressure, according to a 2021 review published inPhytotherapy Research.
When it comes to weight loss, 1 cup of cooked broccoli has 5 g of filling fiber, plus 3.7 g of protein. Broccoli is 90% water, which contributes to its fill-you-up factor. Plus it’s high in vitamins C and K.
There aremany ways to enjoy broccoli. In addition to eating it steamed and boiled,try roasting it. Toss the chopped broccoli pieces in olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roast them at 400°F to 425°F for about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler at the end for a few minutes to achieve that restaurant-style crispy texture.
According to theUSDA, 1 cup cooked, chopped broccoli contains:
The Bottom Line
Prioritizing vegetables in your meals is a straightforward and impactful way to enhance your nutrition, curb hunger and support your weight-loss journey. These powerhouse foods provide essential nutrients, satisfying fiber—and low calories, making them your ultimate ally in achieving a healthier, sustainable lifestyle.
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