Vegetables are nature’s multi vitamins. How many calories are there in different types of veggies ? What are the benefits and possible side effects of consuming too many veggies ? All these and other questions regarding use of vegetables have been answered in this article. Vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants. They contain other beneficial plant compounds that help in cleansing and detoxification. These are low in calories, fat and fibre. Vegetables are and should be an essential part of a healthy diet.
Vegetables are one of the five essential food groups present in our diet
How to calculate servings and calories
| Types of veggies | Examples | Serving size | Calories |
| Type A (leafy and gourd vegetables) | Spinach, bathua, mustard leaves, bottle gourd, cabbage etc | 2 cups raw – one serving | Carbs : 3.4 g Calories : 10-20 |
| Type B (other non or less starchy veggies) | Beans, carrot, tomato, broccoli, beetroot | 1 cup raw or semi cooked – one serving | Carbs : 10-15 g Calories : 35-75 |
| Type C (starchy veggies) | Potato, sweet potato, yam | 3/4 cup cooked – one serving | Carbs : 20-25 Calories : 75-120 |
| Vegetable juice (freshly made at home) | Tomato, carrot, beetroot | 250 ml – one serving |
Maximum and minimum serving size
| Age group | Minimum serving size per day | Maximum serving size per day |
| Adult (19-30 years) | 2 servings / day | 6 servings / day |
| Middle age (30-50 years) | 2.5 serving / day | 5.5 servings / day |
| Old age (50 and above) | 2 servings / day | 5 servings / day |
How to consume veggies ?
- Raw : should be totally organic
- Semi cooked : Steamed, lightly sauteed, baked
- Properly cooked : Indian sabzi
- Juice : should be low in fibre
How much fibre in a day ?
- Women : 21-25 grams / day
- Men : 30-35 grams / day
Possible side effects of excessive fibre intake
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Temporary weight gain
- Flatulence
- Reduced BP levels
Care you should take while consuming high veggies diet
- Drink plenty of water while consuming large amount of veggies
- Increase physical activity like walking etc post meals
- Avoid fad diets entirely based on veggies (only one or few good group)
- Consume locally grown, saesonal and regional veggies