Arugula is a leafy green that can be used raw, as in a salad or pasta, or cooked. It has a stronger flavor than regular lettuce.Rich in: Vitamin C, Potassium |
Apples range in color from yellow to red and can be very sweet or very sour depending on the type of apple. If you don’t buy organic apples, remember to rinse them before eating to wash away pesticides.Rich in: Vitamin C, Fiber
Nutrition tip: Eat your apple peels! They have much more nutritional value and help lower bad cholesterol. |
Beets are red or brown on the outside and have a deep purple inside. The purple inside of a beet can be eaten raw – you often see them on salads. The insides can also be cooked or pickled.Rich in: B Vitamins (especially B9), Iron, Magnesium, Potassium |
Blueberries are small, sweet-tasting berries. As with other kinds of berries, raw blueberries are packed with nutrients that help prevent various health problems.Rich in: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Antioxidants. |
Broccoli is a green vegetable edible raw or cooked. It is known for the health benefit of preventing cancer.Rich in: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, B Vitamins, Fiber, Calcium. |
Cabbage is commonly green, red, or purple. Its leaves are thicker than the leaves of other leafy vegetables.Rich in: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Iron |
Carrots are known for their typically bright orange, edible root. The leafy green carrot tops are edible too, though not many people eat them because they are bitter. Rich in: Vitamin A |
Cherries range in light red to very dark red in color. Some cherries are very sour (good for pies), while others are juicy and sweet. Watch out for the hard cherry pits inside. Rich in: Vitamin C, Antioxidants |
Collard Greens greens are slightly bitter, leafy vegetables. They are a great source of calcium. Rich in: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Calcium |
Corn has yellow and white kernels. Did you know you can eat corn raw? The sweet, fresh flavor of corn fades fast, so the fresher it is picked, the more of a treat it is to eat raw. Rich in: B Vitamins, Protein. |
Cucumbers make great snacks or salad toppings when sliced up. The outside of a cucumber is edible. Some cucumbers are small (‘pickling’ and ‘salad’ cucumbers) and others are very large (‘slicing’ cucumbers). Eat them before they turn yellow and become bitter tasting. Cucumbers are mostly water, though they contain small doses of a variety of vitamins and minerals. |
Eggplant are easily recognizable due to their smooth, purple skin. The inside of an eggplant is white. The skin is edible, so peeling is not required. Eggplant is usually cooked before eaten. Rich in: Manganese. |
Green Beans / String Beans Whereas peas have smooth, waxy shells, green beans are long and have a slightly fuzzy outside. Some green beans are wide and flat. Green beans are eaten whole or chopped into smaller sections. Rich in: Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium |
Kale is generally sold in bunches of long leaves, which can be either flat or curly looking. It is a really good source of vitamins and minerals. Rich in: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, Manganese. |
Onions come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. White onions are the most likely to make your eyes water when you chop them up. Rich in: Vitamin C, B Vitamins |
Parsnips look like fat, pale white or yellow carrots. Parsnips are more rich in nutrients than carrots. Do not touch or eat the leaves on a parsnip if they are there – they cause a chemical burn on exposed skin. Rich in: Vitamin C, Potassium, Fiber |
Peas come in many different varieties. Sugar snap peas can be eaten whole. Other types of peas, like snow peas, are easier to eat when the peas are removed from the waxy outer pea pod. Rich in: B Vitamins (especially B1), Vitamin C, Phosphorus, Iron |
Peppers ‘Bell’ peppers (pictured here) are the most common non-spicy peppers. Yellow, red, and orange bell peppers are sweet, while green bell peppers are tangy. Compared to green bell peppers, red bell peppers have more nutrients and vitamins. Rich in: Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 |
Potatoes There are thousands of varieties of potatoes throughout the world. You are most likely to see red and brown potatoes in the market. Potato sprouts, leaves, and stems are toxic, so toss your potatoes if you let them sit too long and they sprout or if they turn green inside. Rich in: B Vitamins (especially B6), Vitamin C, Potassium, Phosphorus |
Pumpkins Besides holiday decorations, pumpkins are also cooked into pies, soups, and other foods. You can roast and eat pumpkin seeds, too. Rich in: Vitamin A, Potassium |
Radishes vary in size and color, but your are most likely to see red radishes with white insides. They are very spicy tasting. Rich in: Vitamin C, B Vitamins |
Spinach is a leafy green packed with vitamins. It is a great source of iron and calcium. Rich in: Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron |
Strawberries are sweet red fruits.Rich in: Vitamin C |
‘Swiss’ Chard is a leafy green with a colored stem. The stem varies in color. Rich in: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Iron, Protein |
Tomatoes come in a variety of sizes and are usually red when ripe. Tomatoes contain one of the most powerful antioxidants (lycopene). Rich in: Vitamin C, Antioxidants. |
Zucchini Though they look similar to cucumbers, zucchini are usually cooked before eaten. Zucchini are either green or yellow.Rich in: Vitamin C |