Lowest-Calorie Vegetables, Ranked Per 100 g (2026)

The lowest-calorie vegetables include peeled raw cucumber at 10 kcal per 100 grams, followed by sour pickles at 11 kcal, and cooked waxgourd at 11 kcal.

This post ranks vegetables based on their calorie content per 100 grams using USDA FoodData Central data. The focus is on whole foods that can support weight management.

Why Calories Matters for Weight Management

Understanding calorie content is essential for weight management, as it helps individuals make informed food choices. Lower-calorie vegetables can be incorporated into meals to increase volume without significantly increasing calorie intake. This can aid in maintaining a healthy weight and promoting satiety. This is educational information, not medical advice.

Lowest-Calorie Vegetables, Ranked Per 100 g

The following table presents the ranked list of the lowest-calorie vegetables per 100 grams.

#	Food	Typical serving	Calories/serving (kcal)	Calories/100 g (kcal)	Protein (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugar (g)	Sodium (mg)
1	Peeled Raw Cucumber	1 serving (133 g)	13	10	0.8	0.9	1.8	3
2	Sour Pickles (cucumber)	1 pickle (155 g)	17	11	0.5	1.9	1.6	1872
3	Cooked Waxgourd (Boiled, Salted)	1 serving (175 g)	19	11	0.7	1.8	2.1	600
4	Raw Taro Shoots	1 serving (43 g)	5	11	0.4	0.0	0.0	0
5	Bamboo Shoots (cooked)	1 serving (120 g)	13	11	1.8	1.2	0.0	288
6	Raw Watercress	1 serving (34 g)	4	11	0.8	0.2	0.1	14
7	Dill Pickle	1 spear (40 g)	5	12	0.2	0.4	0.0	326
8	Cooked Napa Cabbage	1 serving (109 g)	13	12	1.2	0.0	0.0	12
9	Cooked Chinese Cabbage (Pak-choi)	1 cup (170 g)	20	12	2.7	1.7	1.4	58
10	Cooked New Zealand Spinach	1 cup (180 g)	22	12	2.3	2.5	0.5	617
11	Canned Sprouted Mung Beans	1 serving (125 g)	15	12	1.8	1.0	0.9	53
12	Butterhead Lettuce (raw)	1 head (55 g)	7	13	0.7	0.6	0.5	3
13	Canned Summer Squash (crookneck and straightneck)	1 serving (210 g)	27	13	1.3	2.9	2.5	11
14	Calabash Gourd (cooked)	1 gourd (146 g)	19	13	0.9	1.8	0.0	347
15	Red Leaf Lettuce (raw)	1 serving (28 g)	4	13	0.4	0.3	0.1	7

How Nutrola Tracks Calories for You

Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macronutrients, including calories, from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging.

For related references, see lowest-calorie fruits.

How We Compiled These Numbers

Data is sourced from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy and Foundation Foods. The per-serving values use USDA household weights, while the per 100 g figures are normalized for comparison. Each entry represents one food item, providing educational insights into their calorie content, not medical advice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the calorie content of peeled raw cucumber?

Peeled raw cucumber contains 10 kcal per 100 grams.

Which vegetable has the lowest calories?

Raw watercress has the lowest calories at 4 kcal per 100 grams.

How many calories are in sour pickles?

Sour pickles contain 11 kcal per 100 grams.

What is the calorie content of cooked waxgourd?

Cooked waxgourd has 11 kcal per 100 grams.

How many calories are in cooked napa cabbage?

Cooked napa cabbage contains 12 kcal per 100 grams.

What are the calories in bamboo shoots?

Bamboo shoots (cooked) have 11 kcal per 100 grams.

Key Takeaways

• Peeled raw cucumber: 10 kcal per 100 g.
• Sour pickles: 11 kcal per 100 g.
• Cooked waxgourd: 11 kcal per 100 g.
• Raw watercress: 11 kcal per 100 g.
• Cooked napa cabbage: 12 kcal per 100 g.
• Cooked Chinese cabbage: 12 kcal per 100 g.