Apart from water and some very thin soups, vegetables are the lowest calorie food group. While nearly every vegetable is low in calories, some are lower than others.
To keep vegetables low in calories and retain the most nutrients, it is best to eat them raw or steamed.
Low-calorie vegetables include watercress, lettuce, arugula, sprouts, napa cabbage, cucumber, and celery. Below are the 20 lowest calorie vegetables. For more see the full ranking of over 200 low-calorie vegetables.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom
of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and
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About Nutrient Targets
Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.
Some of the most popular targets include:
Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.
1 Watercress
2 Arugula
3 Lettuce
4 Alfalfa Sprouts
5 Napa Cabbage
6 Cucumber
7 Celery
8 Radishes
9 Pak-Choi (Bok Choy)
10 Cabbage
11 Mushrooms
12 Eggplant
13 Swiss Chard
14 Asparagus
15 Spinach
16 Summer Squash
17 Tomato
18 Green (Snap) Beans
19 Pumpkin
20 Broccoli