Veggies Galore: Low in Fat, High in Fibre

Vegetables are low in fat and high in fibre, and eating them can help reduce certain health problems like heart disease.

Children between three and six years of age should take one serving of vegetables every day and those above seven years old should take two servings daily.

Eating 150g of raw, leafy vegetables - equivalent to one-sixth of a head of iceberg lettuce or three handfuls of raw baby spinach - is considered one serving. For raw, non-leafy vegetables or cooked vegetables, one serving is considered 100g.

Salad greens are one of the healthiest ways of consuming vegetables. Greens are low in calories and a good source of fibre, so it is a great way to add volume to your meal without adding a lot of calories.

Salads are a healthier way of eating greens compared to stir-fries or boiling as they preserve all the nutrients in the vegetables. Vegetables have a high amount of water-soluble vitamins and some heat-sensitive vitamins may be lost due to cooking.

But if you drown your salads with salad dressing, then you might risk piling on the fat content of your diet. As far as you can, avoid creamy dressing.

Vegetables are healthy as they are low in fat, high in dietary fibre and complex carbohydrates and are important sources of nutrients like potassium, folate and vitamins A,C and E.

Nutritional Value of Selected Vegetables:

Romaine Lettuce (100g)

Calories: 17
Dietary Fibre: 2g
Sugars: 1.2g
Vitamin A: 8,711 IU
Vitamin C: 24mg
Sodium: 8mg
Calcium: 33mg
Iron: 1mg



Cherry Tomatoes (1 cup or 149g)

Calories: 27
Dietary Fibre: 2g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 1,241 IU
Vitamin C: 18.9mg
Sodium: 7mg
Potassium: 353mg
Calcium: 14.9mg



Spinach (boiled and drained, 100g)

Calories: 23
Dietary Fibre: 2g
Protein: 3g
Vitamin A: 10,481 IU
Vitamin C: 9.8mg
Sodium: 70mg
Potassium: 466mg
Calcium: 136mgIron: 3.6 mg
Magnesium: 87mg
Phosphorus: 56mg


Onion (Raw, 100g)

Calories: 40
Dietary Fibre: 2g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin C: 7.4mg
Folate: 19mcg
Sodium: 4mg
Potassium: 146mg



Broccoli (boiled and drained, 100g)

Calories: 35
Dietary Fibre: 3g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 2g
Vitamin A: 1,548IU
Vitamin C: 64.9mg
Sodium: 41mg
Calcium: 40mg
Iron: 0.7mg


Red Pepper (100g)

Calories: 31
Dietary Fibre: 2g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 3,131IU
Vitamin C: 128mg
Sodium: 4mg
Potassium: 211mg



Carrot (boiled and drained, 100g)

Calories: 35
Dietary Fibre: 3g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 17,036IU
Protein: 235mg
Sodium: 58mg
Manganese: 0.2mg



Mushrooms (brown, raw, 100g)

Calories: 27
Dietary Fibre: 1g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 6mg
Potassium: 448mg
Copper: 0.5 mg
Phosphorus: 120mg