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What Vitamins Are in Different Kinds of Vegetables?

Vitamins play an essential role in helping the body increase energy, boost immunity and facilitate cell metabolism. Vitamins can also reduce heart disease by 41 percent and certain cancers by 22 percent. A vitamin-rich diet of fruits and vegetables is the best way to get the nutrients your body needs. Viewing a list of vegetables and the vitamins they contain can help fill in the gaps in your diet so that you can achieve optimum health.

  1. Spinach

    • Spinach is often referred to as a "superfood" because it's a rich source of multiple nutrients including vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E and K. Spinach also contains other beneficial nutrients like folate, iron and carotenoids, which are phytonutrients. As a green leafy vegetable, it has the same vitamin content as kale, swiss chard, collard greens and bok choy. Spinach is high in fiber and low in calories, making it the perfect food to keep your heart healthy and your weight in check.

    Sweet Potatoes

    • Sweet potatoes are part of the family of "dark orange" vegetables, which contain the highest amount of vitamin A and beta carotene. This is important for the prevention of night blindness. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Other members in the dark orange vegetable family include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, and orange bell peppers.

    Broccoli

    • Available all year long, broccoli is a rich source of vitamin A, C, and vitamin K, which is critical to bone-building. Some people think beta carotene -- the pre-cursor to vitamin A -- is only found in dark orange and yellow vegetables, but broccoli is an excellent source of beta carotene.

    Bell Peppers

    • Bell peppers are a good source of vitamin B6, C, beta carotene, thiamine and folic acid. Bell peppers also contain a large amount of phytochemicals such as chlorogenic acid, zeaxanthin, and coumeric acid, which have similar antioxidant properties as vitamins A,C and E. When it comes to color, red bell peppers tend to have higher vitamin content than green peppers.

    Soybeans

    • Although most beans have high vitamin content, soybeans have the unique benefit of being a great source of protein and fiber as well as omega-3 fatty acids, iron, phosphorus, dietary fiber, magnesium, copper, vitamins B1, B2, B6, E and K. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend three servings of beans per week.

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