Vegetable Nutrition Calculators

Your Vegetable Nutrition Questions, Answered

Which vegetable in this list has the fewest calories per 100g?

Radish has the lowest calorie density at just 16 kcal per 100g raw (red radish) or 18 kcal (daikon). Coriander leaves follow at 23 kcal, then green chillies at 40 kcal. Among the starchy root vegetables, garlic is highest at 149 kcal, yam at 118 kcal, and colocasia (taro) at 112 kcal raw. Mint leaves at 44 kcal and broccoli at 35 kcal boiled are in between.

Does cooking vegetables destroy their vitamins?

Some vitamins are heat-sensitive — particularly vitamin C and folate. Lotus root vitamin C drops from 44mg raw to 27.4mg boiled (38% loss). Green chillies' exceptional vitamin C (242mg/100g raw) is reduced significantly by cooking. Garlic's allicin — formed when raw garlic is crushed — degrades rapidly with heat. However, cooking also increases the bioavailability of other nutrients: beta-carotene absorption from carrots increases 6-fold when cooked, and cooking is essential for colocasia (taro) and yam due to antinutritional factors. Our calculators include raw and cooked variants so you can compare the exact trade-offs.

Are potatoes healthy or should they be avoided for weight loss?

Plain boiled or baked potatoes are among the most satiating foods per calorie, according to the University of Sydney's Satiety Index research — scoring 323% relative to white bread. A medium boiled potato provides approximately 87 kcal, 1.9g protein, 20g carbs, and 1.8g fiber. The health concern arises from preparation methods: frying adds 150–250% more calories, and toppings like butter, cheese, and sour cream can double the calorie count. The potato itself is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie food.

Which vegetable has the most vitamin C per 100g?

Green chillies lead with 242mg vitamin C per 100g raw — nearly 269% of the daily value and about 4.6 times more vitamin C than oranges (53mg). However, a single green chilli weighs only about 14g, delivering 34mg (38% DV). Coriander leaves (fresh) have 27mg per 100g and broccoli has 89mg raw. For practical vitamin C intake, consider both the per-100g value and how much you actually consume.

How much nutrition do herb garnishes like coriander leaves and mint actually provide?

Very little per typical garnish portion. A quarter-cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves (~4g) provides about 1 calorie, 2.7mg vitamin C (3% DV), and 13.5mcg vitamin A RAE (1.5% DV). Two tablespoons of fresh mint (~3.2g) provide about 1.4 calories and 0.43mg vitamin C. The nutritional contribution of garnish-level herb portions is negligible — their value is primarily in flavor, aroma, and the accumulated intake across multiple meals.

How do these calculators account for different cooking methods?

Each vegetable calculator includes multiple variants for common cooking methods — raw, boiled, steamed, roasted, baked, and for herbs, dried forms. Yam has raw and boiled variants, garlic has raw, roasted, and powder forms, and curry leaves have fresh and dried variants. The nutrient values differ because (1) water absorption or loss changes the weight, (2) heat degrades certain vitamins, (3) leaching into cooking water removes water-soluble nutrients, and (4) drying concentrates all nutrients by removing moisture. Select the variant matching your actual preparation method for accurate tracking.