This is a post about pale vegetables, the ones that don’t have much color. They may not be the stars, but when it comes to nutrition they — like costume and scenery professionals — provide essential support. You might say that sometimes they win the Oscar for outstanding contributions in the field.

We are, as you know, encouraged to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, including at least one dark green and one orange vegetable daily. But these recommendations have overlooked the the less colorful vegetables. If vegetables had personalities, I would consider these less colorful veggies the more introverted ones. With little or no color to speak of, they are just as happy not to have the attention of the room. To date there are no specific recommendations for vegetables such as cauliflower, turnips, onions, parsnips, mushrooms, potatoes, corn, and kohlrabi. But just like their more colorful relatives, less colorful vegetables are also significant sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nourishing compounds. A substantial body of science has shown that less colorful vegetables, like all other veggies, are rich in fiber, potassium, and magnesium. But that’s not all.

In the last decade, scientists have come together finally to discuss the nutritional content of vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflower, turnips, onions, garlic, parsnips, corn (like Silver Queen), mushrooms, and kohlrabi. Besides fiber, these white or cream-colored vegetables are rich sources of phytonutrients, with their significant antioxidant power. The most common phytonutrients fall into these categories: 1) anthoxanthins, 2) allicin, 3) glucosinolates, and 4) phenolic compounds. Let’s examine them one at a time.

Anthoxanthins
Anthoxanthins confer the white or creamy color in many of these vegetables and fruits, and are found at particularly high levels in onions and cauliflower. Quercetin, with its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, is one of the anthoxanthins.

Allicin
Allicin is found primarily in the allium family, which includes garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, and similar veggies. Allicin is known to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Glucosinolates
Glucosinolates are the sulfur-containing compounds commonly found in the cruciferous vegetable category. This category is also sometimes referred to as Brassica. The brassica vegetables, which play a major role in the human diet, include crops like broccoli, kohlrabi, arugula, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and turnips, among others. Besides white, green and purple also predominate in this family of vegetables. Glucosinolates break down into compounds called isothiocyanates, which are known to have anti-cancer properties.

Phenolic compounds
Pale-colored vegetables contain a range of phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids and flavonoids. Potatoes are rich in chlorogenic acid, which has strong antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects. Mushrooms contain phenolics and other compounds with antioxidant and immunomodulating properties.

You don’t have to remember these long and scientific names unless you want to. You just need to keep in mind that, like most vegetables, the less colorful ones are equally important sources of nutrition. They are excellent sources of dietary fiber, which enhance gut motility and support gut health by nourishing beneficial bacteria. Vegetables, including potatoes and parsnips, are concentrated sources of potassium and magnesium, nutrients essential for management of blood pressure, gut health, bone health, immune system function, nerve function, kidney function, and cardiac function.