Mexican Vegetables: A Complete Nutrition Guide
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Despite common misconceptions that Latin American food lacks nutrition, it’s packed with nutrient-dense foods like veggies. As Latina dietitians, we won’t stop screaming this from the rooftops!
We work with a lot of Mexican clients who often think their cultural foods lack veggies when in reality, they’re full of them.
Mexican cuisine is actually packed with vegetables—an important food group that supports eye health, prevents high blood pressure, reduces cholesterol, and supports healthy blood sugars, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Just because the vegetables aren’t always taking up their own corner of the plate in Mexican dishes, doesn’t mean they aren’t adding nutrition to the dish.
Oftentimes, in Mexican cuisine, vegetables are integrated with other foods that make for a complete, nutritious, and delicious meal.
Some of the most popular vegetables in Mexico are tomatoes, onions, and peppers since they’re used to make salsas. Other traditional Mexican vegetables include garlic, squash, cabbage, nopales, and more.
Here are 17 common Mexican vegetables along with their health benefits and how they’re used in Mexican cuisine.
Cabbage
Many times, cabbage appears as a garnish in Mexican dishes. A light, refreshing cabbage slaw is often used to top tostadas or tacos. It can also be used to top Mexican soups for a refreshing and crunchy contrast to the savory, warmth of the soup.
Like many vegetables, cabbage is a pretty good source of fiber—a non-digestible carbohydrate that supports healthy blood sugars, cholesterol, and digestion, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Plus, each cup of shredded cabbage contains 28% of the daily value (DV) of vitamin C, per the USDA. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that’s important for wound healing and immune health, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Carrots
Like cabbage, carrots can also be used to top tacos and tostadas.
As a garnish, they’re called zanahorias en escabeche which means “pickled carrots”. They’re typically pickled with chiles, onions, garlic, oil, vinegar, and spices. (Here’s an awesome recipe to make this side dish yourself!)
Besides zanahorias en escabeche, carrots can be found in Mexican soups and stews.
You may remember being told as a child that if you ate too many carrots you’d turn orange. That’s because carrots are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant and form of vitamin A.
Vitamin A is important for vision and immune health, per the NIH, and it helps neutralize harmful free radicals that cause oxidative stress.
That’s important because oxidative stress is associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and more, per a 2017 study in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.
Corn
Although corn is technically a grain, we had to include it in this list since it’s a nutrition-packed food that most people think of as a vegetable.
Corn is one of the most common Mexican foods. It’s found in tortillas, elote, tamales, enchiladas, and pozole.
Nutritionally, corn is packed with fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C, and folate, per the USDA.
As we already mentioned, corn is technically a whole grain. Whole grains are higher in health-promoting micronutrients and fiber than refined grains, so the USDA recommends that half of the grains you eat be whole grains. You can chip away at this goal by eating more corn!
Cucumber
Cucumbers are pretty low in fiber compared to other veggies, but they’re made almost entirely of water.
When we think of hydration, we don’t often consider that fruits and veggies can add to our fluid intake. Yet, cucumbers are a great example of how veggies can help you stay hydrated!
In Mexican cuisine, cucumbers may be topped with tajin and lime for a refreshing snack (We love this Mexican cucumber snack recipe.)
They can also be used in drinks like agua fresca or cocktails.
Garlic
Garlic is a staple ingredient in lots of Latin American cuisine and Mexican food is no exception.
Garlic adds tons of flavor to Mexican dishes, from salsas to stews to rice and more. It can be found whole, minced, or powdered.
Research shows that garlic may help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes because it contains antioxidants that help fight inflammation and lower blood lipids.
Huitlacoche
Huitlacoche, also called corn smut, is a fungus that grows on corn. It’s said that huitlacoche has been eaten since before the time of the Aztecs!
It’s considered a delicacy in Mexico—the primary country that eats this unique food.
Huitlacoche’s flavor and cooking uses are similar to those of mushrooms, which is why it’s on our list of Mexican vegetables.
A 2017 study in Food Science and Technology evaluating the nutrition of huitlacoche found that it’s high in magnesium—important for nerve function—and phosphorus—key for your bones and teeth.
Just like mushrooms (which we’ll get to soon), huitlacoche is a good source of beta-glucans—nutrients that can help lower cholesterol and support your immune system, per a 2018 research review in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine.
Jicama
Like other refreshing Mexican veggies, jicama is sometimes served raw topped with chili powder, salt, and lime juice. It’s also eaten in salads or slaws.
It’s a great source of fiber; it contains 21% of the DV per cup.
Jicama is also rich in vitamin C, iron, vitamin B6, and magnesium.
Iron is important for transferring oxygen from your lungs to your tissues, and the most abundant source of it is meat; however, jicama is one way to up your iron intake through veggies.
You probably can’t meet your iron needs with jicama alone, but it will help up your intake.
The typical way of eating jicama in Mexican cuisine is especially beneficial because vitamin C helps our bodies absorb plant sources of iron. Not only is jicama itself also high in vitamin C, but eating it with lime adds more vitamin C for optimal iron absorption.
Plus, jicama is another veggie mostly made of water, so it’ll help you up your fluid intake.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms, particularly white button mushrooms, are commonly consumed in Mexico.
A 2023 study in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science found that wild edible mushrooms are popular amongst urban consumers in Mexico, even though they tend to be expensive and are only available in certain seasons.
In Mexican dishes, mushrooms may be pickled, like carrots, or served in soups. They can also be used to substitute meat in dishes like quesadillas.
They can also be sautéed and served as a side dish, like in this Champiñones A La Mexicana recipe.
Mushrooms, as we mentioned in the huitlacoche section, are a great source of beta-glucans that help lower cholesterol and support immune health.
Nopales
Nopales—green pads of prickly pear cacti—are a beloved traditional Mexican food. They can be cooked and sautéed with other vegetables or eaten raw in salads.
Some find them slimy, like okra, but many people absolutely love this veggie.
If nopales are new to you, this simple recipe shows you how to prepare and cook nopales.
Like jicama and cucumber, nopales have a high water content, but unlike those veggies, nopales have a tart flavor.
One cup of nopales contains over 10% of the DV for calcium and magnesium and about 7% of the DV for fiber.
Particularly if you can’t tolerate dairy products, nopales are a great plant-based way of ensuring you get enough calcium to support your bone and tissue health.
Onion
Onions, garlic, and peppers could be called the Latin American food trifecta. They give Latin American food its distinct flavor, plus lots of nutrient benefits.
In Mexican cuisine, onions are added to salsas or pickled to garnish tacos; you can try pickling onions at home using this recipe. They’re also eaten grilled.
Onions may help prevent heart disease due to their vitamin C and quercetin content.
Peppers
In many Latin American dishes, you’ll find bell peppers. However, unlike most other Latin American food, Mexican food also uses lots of chile peppers.
Both bell peppers and chile peppers are good sources of vitamin C. They also both add lots of flavor to dishes but in different ways.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers have a relatively mild flavor compared to chiles. They are used in soups, rice, stews, and fajitas. They’re a foundational flavor-enhancing veggie common in Mexican dishes.
Besides vitamin C, red bell peppers are also a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, and antioxidants that help prevent oxidative stress associated with various chronic diseases.
Chile Peppers
Chile peppers have a history of medicinal use dating back to the time of the Mayans and Aztecs.
There are a bunch of different chile peppers found in Mexican cuisine: jalapeños, serranos, poblanos, chipotles, habaneros, and more
They all add heat, but they have different flavor profiles and heat levels.
The spice of chile peppers is a result of capsaicin, a substance historically used to help manage pain, per StatPearls.
A 2022 review in Experimental Cell Research found that capsaicin may also promote gut health.
Some even believe that capsaicin improves cardiovascular health; however, another 2022 study, this one in Biomolecules, found that capsaicin doesn’t seem to impact blood sugar or lipid levels.
The researchers concluded that the association between capsaicin intake and reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease may just be a result of capsaicin’s benefits on gut health.
Potatoes
In Mexican food, potatoes are typically served as a side dish or included in stews.
Potatoes are considered starchy vegetables because they’re high in carbohydrates. Therefore, they may be tough for people with diabetes to tolerate without their blood sugar spiking.
Pairing them with sources of protein and fiber helps, and this is a common practice in Mexican dishes anyway.
Potatoes are often served with sources of protein like meat or eggs and sources of fiber like peppers and tomatoes, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Plus, one medium potato contains 18% of the DV of fiber!
Potatoes are also a good source of vitamins like B6 and C, and minerals like potassium, copper, and manganese.
Quelites
Quiletes is the overarching name for a bunch of edible wild greens used in Mexican cooking. They include things like watercress, papalo, purslane, huauzontle, and epazote.
Quelites can be sautéed with onions and garlic to be served as a side dish, added to salads, or used as a garnish for tacos.
They add lots of nutrition to Mexican dishes, including various minerals, vitamins A, B, C, and E, plus antioxidants and plant nutrients, per a 2020 study in Antioxidants.
The specific nutrient profile varies based on the specific green, but there’s no question these wild greens add lots of health benefits to Mexican food.
Radishes
Radishes add a refreshing, crunchy contrast to dense, savory dishes; for that reason, they’re used as a garnish in many Mexican dishes.
You can find them raw and thinly sliced on top of enchiladas, tacos, and pozole. They also add a beautiful pop of color to these dishes.
Like jicama and carrots, some people like eating raw radishes with lime and salt.
They’re usually eaten in small quantities, but that doesn’t mean they don’t offer nutrition. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C. They also contain some folate, potassium, and manganese.
A 2017 study in Nutrients even found that eating radishes may help counter diabetes, likely due to their antioxidant content.
Squash
Believe it or not, there are over 100 varieties of squash, and it actually originated in Central America and Mexico.
The hard exterior of squash was used as dishes for serving food and utensils for eating food. Later on, their flesh and seeds became a primary part of indigenous people’s diets, according to the Library of Congress.
Squash is technically a fruit, but its nutrition and flavor profile is similar to veggies so we decided to include it in this list.
Today, calabacitas, chayote, and pumpkin are some of the most common types of squash found in Mexican food.
Calabacitas
Calabacitas—which translates to “little squash”—is quite similar to zucchini; however, it’s a bit shorter and rounder.
It’s a good source of potassium, which is important for cell functioning and fluid balance. Plus, it’s rich in vitamin C which supports immune function and collagen formation.
Calabacita is often sautéed with corn, onions, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes and topped with cheese and cilantro. This is a veggie-heavy Mexican side dish that is a fount of nutrition! Check out this Easy Calabacitas Recipe to make it yourself.
Chayote
Chayote is a type of squash with bumpy green skin and light green, translucent flesh.
It can be used in salads (like this one), added to stews, or sautéed for a side dish just like calabacitas.
Nutritionally, it is pretty similar to calabacitas; however, it’s much higher in folate.
Folate is especially important during pregnancy because it supports healthy neural tube development to prevent birth defects, per the CDC.
Pumpkin
When the fall season arrives in the U.S., pumpkins are everywhere, but many Americans don’t realize that pumpkins originated in Mexico.
Pumpkin, or calabaza as it’s called in Spanish, is used to make calabaza en tacha, a Mexican candied pumpkin dish.
It can also be used to make soup, empanadas, or tacos.
Pumpkin’s deep orange flesh is rich in vitamins A and C. Pumpkins are also a great source of vitamin K, which supports healthy blood clotting, per the NIH.
That being said, those taking anticoagulant drugs need to be mindful of their vitamin K intake and keep it consistent to prevent undesirable food-drug interactions.
Tomatillos
Although they resemble green tomatoes, tomatillos are not the same. Unlike green tomatoes, tomatillos are encased by a paper-like husk and they’re smaller. They have a tart, acidic flavor and are typically used to make green salsa.
Tomatillos are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium. Potassium is a key nutrient for managing high blood pressure, per the American Heart Association.
Many Latines worry about high blood pressure and think they have to adopt a more Eurocentric diet to promote their health, but tomatillos are a great example of Latine cultural foods that can be used to manage chronic disease.
Tomatillos and tomatoes (which are up next) form the foundation of many Mexican salsas.
Many people don’t think of salsa as a source of veggies, but it absolutely is! You get so much nutrition by adding salsa to dishes, and no country does this better than Mexico.
Try this Salsa Verde recipe to start adding more tomatillos to your meals!
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the most common foods in Mexican cuisine. That’s part of what makes Mexican cuisine so nutritious—veggies form the foundation of so many dishes.
Tomatoes are the main ingredient of many salsas and pico de gallo, which are served with the majority of Mexican meals.
Although they’re technically a fruit, tomatoes are nutritionally similar to vegetables because they’re low in carbohydrates. This makes them a good option for people with diabetes.
Like many other veggies on this list, tomatoes are high in vitamin C for immune health and vitamin A for eye health, per the USDA. They’re also a good source of antioxidants like lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene which can help prevent oxidative stress in the body.
The lycopene in tomatoes may even support cardiovascular health, per a 2018 study in Frontiers in Pharmacology.
To make your own tomato salsa, try this Salsa Roja recipe.
Final Thoughts
Despite common misconceptions that Mexican food lacks nutrition, it is jam-packed with vegetables!
From tomatoes to squash to mushrooms and more, Mexican veggies promote various facets of health.
So remember, you don’t have to give up your cultural foods to support your health.
Our Mexican clients often forget that every time they add salsa to their meal or enjoy tacos topped with radishes and onions they’re eating veggies!
If you’re ready to make peace with your cultural foods, our 3-part Latina dietitian-led masterclass on intuitive eating is a great first step.
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