Are Your Vegetables Good Sources of Vitamins and Minerals? A Comparison Guide

Written by Sascha Beck, BHSc (Nat), Dip Arom. Australian-qualified naturopath and
aromatherapist with a double major in nutrition and herbal medicine.

This article looks at which vegetables are strong or poor sources of key vitamins and minerals, helping you compare them and make informed choices and answer the question “Is this food a good source or not?”
(per 100g / 3.52 oz serving)

The summaries with images below highlight vegetables that stand out as notable sources of specific nutrients. Percentages are based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intake (AI) for adult women aged 31–50 years, calculated per 100 g (3.52 oz) serving using standard reference values.

While individual nutrient requirements vary depending on age, sex, and life stage, the aim is to help you see which vegetables are stronger or weaker sources of specific nutrients, so you can decide whether it’s worth adding or reducing certain vegetables in your diet.

The black-and-white images and text highlight the standout sources, followed by a comparison table that you can scroll through for more detailed information.

See the detailed table below for full nutritional data.

Nutrient Data: Cooking & Preparation Methods

The nutritional values provided are based on the specific preparation methods listed below. Please note that cooking methods (such as boiling versus steaming or roasting) can significantly alter the final nutrient profile of these root vegetables and tubers.

Vitamins
(% of RDA for women aged 31–50 years, per 100g/ 3.52oz)

Vitamin A (Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A)

Sweet Potato – 675%
Butternut Squash – 478%
Pumpkin – 247%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Jerusalem Artichoke – 18%
Taro – 10%
Yams – 9%
Peeled Potatoes – 9%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Jerusalem Artichokes – 9%
Potatoes (with or without skin) – 9%

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

(% of Adequate Intake – AI)

Sweet Potatoes – 12%
Potatoes (with or without skin) – 10%

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) — Strong Category

Taro – 25%
Potatoes (skin on) – 23%
Jerusalem Artichokes – 21%
Burdock Root – 21%
Peeled Potatoes – 21%
Yams – 18%
Sweet Potatoes – 13%
Butternut Squash – 10%

Folate levels in beetroot vary significantly depending on how it is prepared.

84 µg per 100 g – Raw beetroot (peeled)
78 µg per 100 g – peeled, baked, roasted, fried, stir-fried, grilled or BBQ’d
59 µg per 100 g – peeled, boiled, microwaved or steamed, drained
10 µg per 100 g – canned, drained

The richest vegetable sources of folate per 100 g include:

1400 µg – Dried nori
490–425 µg – Chinese flowering cabbage (choy sum)
278–246 µg – Mustard greens
273–225 µg – Water spinach
180 µg – Parsley
170 µg – Chinese cabbage (wombok)
164 µg – Rocket (arugula)
162 µg – Samphire (Australian bush tucker food)
162 µg – Warrigal greens (Australian bush tucker food)
158 µg – Baby spinach

Vitamin C

Rutabaga / Swede – 25%
Butternut Squash – 20%
Cassava – 18%
Sweet Potatoes – 17%
Potatoes (skin on) – 16%
Yams – 16%
Turnips – 15%
Peeled Potatoes – 10%

Vitamin E

Taro – 20%
Butternut Squash – 9%

Minerals

(% of RDA for women aged 31–50 years, per 100g/ 3.52oz)

Copper

Taro – 22%
Potatoes (peeled or unpeeled) – 19%
Yams – 17%
Jerusalem Artichokes – 16%
Cassava – 11%
Sweet Potato – 10%
Pumpkin – 10%
Burdock Root – 10%

Iron

Jerusalem Artichokes – 19%
Potatoes (skin on) – 9%
Peeled Potatoes – 2%
(Other vegetables are relatively low)

Magnesium

Burdock Root – 12%
Taro – 9%
Potatoes (skin on) – 9%
Butternut Squash – 9%

Manganese

(% of Adequate Intake – AI)

Taro – 25%
Yams – 21%
Beetroot – 18%
Sweet Potatoes – 15%
Burdock Root – 15%
Cassava – 11%
Butternut Squash – 10%

Phosphorus

Burdock Root – 13%
Potatoes (skin on) – 11%
Jerusalem Artichokes – 11%
Taro – 11%

Potassium

(% of Adequate Intake – AI)

Yams – 14%
Potatoes (skin on) – 12%
Taro – 10%
Jerusalem Artichokes – 9%
Burdock Root – 8%

Lowest Calorie Vegetables

(per 100g / 3.52 oz)

Pumpkin – 84 kJ (20 Calories / kcal)
Turnips – 92 kJ (22 Calories / kcal)
Rutabaga / Swede – 126 kJ (30 Calories / kcal)
Butternut Squash – 167 kJ (40 Calories / kcal)
Beetroot – 180 kJ (43 Calories / kcal)

Energy Conversion Guide

Many countries use kilojoules (kJ) on food labels.
The United States uses Calories, which are the same as kilocalories (kcal).

Calories (kcal) and Kilojoules (kJ) are two units used to measure energy in food.

1 Calorie (kcal) = 4.184 kilojoules (kJ)
1 kilojoule (kJ) = 0.239 Calories (kcal)

(On food labels, “Calories” with a capital C means kilocalories — kcal.)

How to Convert Calories (kcal) to Kilojoules (kJ)
Multiply Calories (kcal) × 4.184

Example:
100 Calories (kcal) × 4.184 = 418 kilojoules (kJ)

How to Convert Kilojoules (kJ) to Calories (kcal)
Divide Kilojoules (kJ) ÷ 4.184

Example:
180 kilojoules (kJ) ÷ 4.184 = 43 Calories (kcal)

Quick Tip
Multiply by ~4.2 to go from Calories (kcal) → kilojoules (kJ)
Divide by ~4.2 to go from kilojoules (kJ) → Calories (kcal)

Vegetable Nutrient Comparison Table
(Per 100g/ 3.52oz)

Scroll across to compare vitamins and minerals of all the vegetables

References

NOTES
The information sourced from the Australian AUSNUT database incorporates data from global reference standards, including the USDA (USA), McCance and Widdowson (UK), and the New Zealand Food Composition Database.

General Nutrient Data: The majority of the nutrient values provided are sourced from the AUSNUT 2014 database.

Beetroot Folate & Preparation: Specific data regarding beetroot folate levels and the impact of different cooking methods are based on the updated AUSNUT 2023 nutrient profiles.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes, Elements [Table]. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56068/table/summarytables.t3/

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). (2014). AUSNUT 2011–13 Australian Health Survey Food Nutrient Database [Data set]. Retrieved August 27, 2019, from https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/food-nutrient-databases/ausnut

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). (2023). AUSNUT 2023 Food Nutrient Profiles — Content Summary [Data set]. Retrieved September 4, 2025, from https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/food-nutrient-databases/ausnut/data-files