What Is The Most Nutritious Vegetable You Could Have?

We all know that Americans should be eating more fruits and vegetables. But there's a big difference between eating a handful of carrots or a tangerine, and munching on some leafy greens. The CDC recently ranked 47 of America's most common fruits and vegetables, and 41 out of 47 tested were determined to be "powerhouse" sources of nutrition. Each of the fruits and vegetables were analyzed on a scale that measures the amount of fiber, protein, potassium, and vitamins. But Mason jar, Mason jar on the wall, who is the fairest (and most nutritious) vegetable of them all? As it turns out, the answer is, "all of the vegetables that are green and leafy."

The top 10 most nutritious produce are:

#10 Collard Greens

#9 Romaine Lettuce

#8 Parsley

#7 Leaf Lettuce

#6 Chicory

#5 Spinach

#4 Beet Greens

#3 Chard

#2 Chinese Cabbage

#1 Watercress

For those of you following at home, that means that yes, it's healthier for you to eat a romaine salad than a kale salad (kale ranked 15th on the list). The only fruits/vegetables that did not receive a powerhouse ranking were raspberry, tangerine, cranberry, garlic, onion, and blueberry. Start your day healthy by checking out some of our favorite watercress recipes.

Originally authored on January 16, 2015