When aiming to meet your daily carbohydrate and energy requirements, vegetables may not be the first food group that springs to mind. This is perhaps with good reason, as most vegetables provide negligible calories and energy per 100g compared to other “carb-dense” food sources such as grains. However, given that less than 10% of the Australian population meet their recommended daily vegetable intake (375g-450g), then perhaps vegetables DO require more of our attention regardless of energy demands!
In comparison to a carb source such as white rice (74g C and 340cal per 100g raw), all vegetable varieties (that’s right, including potatoes!) are considered on the lower end for energy and macronutrient density. However, as this infographic infers, there is still a slight hierarchy as some vegetables are more energy dense than others.
Does this mean you should only limit yourself to broccoli and cucumbers and restrict corn and carrots in your diet? Absolutely not. We highly recommend consuming a wide variety of different coloured vegetables as they will provide a unique array of micronutrients, phytonutrients, fibre types and antioxidants, all of which contribute to a prime health status.
Let us know, does your vegetable intake stay the same year-round, or does it change depending on what’s in season?