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Root vegetables are a kitchen category more than a botanical one. UConn Extension notes that what most of us know as root vegetables may not actually be root vegetables: true roots are taproots and tuberous roots, while tubers, corms and rhizomes are underground stems. This root vegetables list follows that split. The first table ranks 13 true roots, from sweet potatoes and parsnips to carrots, beets and radishes, by carbohydrate per serving, with FDC IDs, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A from USDA FoodData Central; the second covers underground stems such as potatoes, taro and lotus root.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- UConn Extension counts taproots (carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, jicama, salsify, celeriac and daikon) and tuberous roots (sweet potatoes and cassava) as true root vegetables.
- Potatoes and some yams are tubers, taro and the Chinese water chestnut are corms, and lotus roots are rhizomes; UConn Extension calls all three stem structures, even though kitchens call them roots.
- In USDA data a cup of baked sweet potatoes lists about 41.4 grams of carbohydrate and a cup of sliced red radishes about 3.9 grams, so the group runs from very starchy to very watery.
- Orange roots stand out for vitamin A: USDA lists about 1,922 micrograms RAE for a cup of baked sweet potatoes and 1,069 for a cup of chopped raw carrots, above the FDA Daily Value of 900.
- Turnips, rutabagas, radishes and daikon are also cruciferous vegetables, members of the mustard family, according to NC State Extension and UF/IFAS.
Types of root vegetables: true roots and underground stems
UConn Extension sorts the foods sold as roots into five groups, and only the first two are roots in the botanical sense; it adds that the stem types are still called roots in farming and cooking.
- Taproots grow downward and are typically tapered, in UConn’s description: a main root with other roots sprouting off the sides. UConn lists beets, parsnips, carrots, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, jicama, salsify, celeriac and daikon.
- Tuberous roots are modified lateral roots, per UConn, which names sweet potatoes and cassava, plus the more segmented turmeric and ginger.
- Tubers form from thickened underground stems; UConn names potatoes and some varieties of yams.
- Rhizomes are also stems, and UConn names ginger, ginseng, turmeric and lotus roots as underground ones, so turmeric and ginger sit in two of UConn’s groups.
- Corms are vertical underground stems, in UConn’s terms: Chinese water chestnuts and taro. UConn also calls shallots bulbs, not roots.
Root vegetables list: true roots ranked by USDA carbohydrate
The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for 13 true roots, cooked where that is the usual form and raw for the roots usually eaten raw; carrots appear both ways. Servings are one USDA cup. Burdock is included by its common name; UConn does not list it. Each percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 and older: 28 grams of dietary fiber, 4,700 milligrams of potassium, 90 milligrams of vitamin C and 900 micrograms RAE of vitamin A.
| Root vegetable (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Potassium | Vitamin C | Vitamin A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet potato, baked in skin, flesh (168483) | 1 cup, 200 g | 180 | 41.4 g | 6.6 g (24%) | 950 mg (20%) | 39.2 mg (44%) | 1,922 mcg RAE (214%) |
| Parsnips, boiled, slices (170009) | 1 cup, 156 g | 111 | 26.5 g | 5.6 g (20%) | 573 mg (12%) | 20.3 mg (23%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Burdock root, boiled (170384) | 1 cup, 125 g | 110 | 26.4 g | 2.2 g (8%) | 450 mg (10%) | 3.2 mg (4%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Salsify, boiled, sliced (169278) | 1 cup, 135 g | 92 | 20.7 g | 4.2 g (15%) | 382 mg (8%) | 6.2 mg (7%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Beets, boiled, slices (169146) | 1 cup, 170 g | 75 | 16.9 g | 3.4 g (12%) | 518 mg (11%) | 6.1 mg (7%) | 3 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Carrots, boiled, slices (170394) | 1 cup, 156 g | 55 | 12.8 g | 4.7 g (17%) | 367 mg (8%) | 5.6 mg (6%) | 1,329 mcg RAE (148%) |
| Carrots, raw, chopped (170393) | 1 cup, 128 g | 52 | 12.3 g | 3.6 g (13%) | 410 mg (9%) | 7.6 mg (8%) | 1,069 mcg RAE (119%) |
| Rutabagas, boiled, cubes (168455) | 1 cup, 170 g | 51 | 11.6 g | 3.1 g (11%) | 367 mg (8%) | 32.0 mg (36%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Jicama, raw, slices (170073) | 1 cup, 120 g | 46 | 10.6 g | 5.9 g (21%) | 180 mg (4%) | 24.2 mg (27%) | 1 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Celeriac, boiled, pieces (169987) | 1 cup, 155 g | 42 | 9.1 g | 1.9 g (7%) | 268 mg (6%) | 5.6 mg (6%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Turnips, boiled, cubes (170058) | 1 cup, 156 g | 34 | 7.9 g | 3.1 g (11%) | 276 mg (6%) | 18.1 mg (20%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Daikon (oriental radish), raw, slices (168451) | 1 cup, 116 g | 21 | 4.8 g | 1.9 g (7%) | 263 mg (6%) | 25.5 mg (28%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Radishes, red, raw, slices (169276) | 1 cup, 116 g | 19 | 3.9 g | 1.9 g (7%) | 270 mg (6%) | 17.2 mg (19%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
The ranking splits the true roots into two groups. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, burdock root and salsify list about 20.7 to 41.4 grams of carbohydrate per cup in USDA data, while celeriac, turnips, daikon and red radishes list under 10 grams. Jicama lists about 5.9 grams of dietary fiber per cup in USDA data, second only to the first row’s 6.6 grams.
Tubers, corms and rhizomes: the underground stems
These foods are stems in UConn Extension’s terms but are sold as roots. The table uses the same columns and FDA Daily Values; the potato is one medium baked potato and the water chestnut row is USDA’s half-cup portion.
| Underground stem (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Potassium | Vitamin C | Vitamin A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taro, cooked, sliced (168486) | 1 cup, 132 g | 187 | 45.7 g | 6.7 g (24%) | 639 mg (14%) | 6.6 mg (7%) | 5 mcg RAE (1%) |
| Yam, boiled or baked, cubes (170072) | 1 cup, 136 g | 158 | 37.4 g | 5.3 g (19%) | 911 mg (19%) | 16.5 mg (18%) | 8 mcg RAE (1%) |
| Potato, baked, flesh and skin (170093) | 1 medium, 173 g | 161 | 36.6 g | 3.8 g (14%) | 926 mg (20%) | 16.6 mg (18%) | 2 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Lotus root, boiled (168430) | 1 cup, 120 g | 79 | 19.2 g | 3.7 g (13%) | 436 mg (9%) | 32.9 mg (37%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
| Water chestnuts, Chinese, raw, slices (170066) | 1/2 cup, 62 g | 60 | 14.8 g | 1.9 g (7%) | 362 mg (8%) | 2.5 mg (3%) | 0 mcg RAE (0%) |
A cup of cooked taro lists about 45.7 grams of carbohydrate in USDA data, more than any true root in the first table. SR Legacy keeps separate entries for the yam and the sweet potato: the yam row lists about 8 micrograms RAE of vitamin A per cup in USDA data against 1,922 for baked sweet potatoes. SR Legacy’s plain cassava entry is raw, so cassava is left out of both tables.
Where root vegetables sit in the Dietary Guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, sort vegetables into five subgroups, and root crops land in three of them. Carrots and sweet potatoes are examples of the red and orange subgroup. White potatoes, cassava, jicama, taro, yam, lotus root, burdock root, salsify and water chestnuts are examples of the starchy subgroup. Beets, radish, rutabaga, turnips and onions are listed with other vegetables.
So the label root vegetable says little about a food’s Dietary Guidelines subgroup. Our guide to starchy vegetables explains the starchy subgroup, and the leaves of some root crops count as dark-green vegetables: see our guides to beet greens, turnip greens and other leafy greens.
Vitamins and minerals that stand out
- Vitamin A: the orange roots lead, while most pale roots list 0 to 8 micrograms RAE per cup in USDA data; our vitamin A foods list ranks more foods.
- Potassium: a cup of baked sweet potatoes lists about 950 milligrams in USDA data, 20% of the FDA Daily Value, and a medium baked potato about 926 milligrams; see our potassium foods list.
- Vitamin C: baked sweet potatoes, boiled lotus roots and boiled rutabagas list about 32.0 to 39.2 milligrams per cup in USDA data, against the FDA Daily Value of 90 milligrams.
- Folate: USDA lists about 136 micrograms DFE for a cup of boiled beets, 34% of the FDA Daily Value; see our folate foods list.
Raw or cooked: what one cup holds
USDA lists a cup of chopped raw carrots at 128 grams and a cup of boiled carrot slices at 156 grams, so the boiled cup lists more vitamin A (1,329 against 1,069 micrograms RAE) although the per-100-gram figures are close, about 852 and 835 micrograms RAE in USDA data. The USDA sweet potatoes row is flesh only, baked in the skin, while the white potato row includes the skin. Cooked rows are without added salt, and the Nutrition Facts label is the figure for a packaged product. Our high fiber vegetables list compares these roots with greens and squash.
Gas and other notes
- Root crucifers: turnips, rutabagas and radishes belong to the mustard family, NC State Extension notes, and UF/IFAS lists daikon as the edible root of an oriental radish. Our list of cruciferous vegetables covers the whole family.
- Gas: NIDDK lists vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables, among foods containing carbohydrates that may lead to excess gas in some people, and suggests talking with your doctor about your diet; our gas guide explains the causes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are root vegetables?
In UConn Extension’s terms, true root vegetables are taproots, such as carrots and beets, and tuberous roots, such as sweet potatoes and cassava. UConn adds that tubers, corms and rhizomes are underground stems still called roots in farming and cooking.
Is a potato a root vegetable?
Botanically no: UConn Extension describes potatoes as tubers formed from thickened underground stems. The Dietary Guidelines list white potatoes as an example of the starchy subgroup.
Which root vegetables are lowest in carbohydrate?
In USDA data, a cup of sliced red radishes lists about 3.9 grams, a cup of raw daikon about 4.8 grams and a cup of boiled turnips about 7.9 grams.
Which root vegetable lists the most vitamin A?
In USDA data, a cup of baked sweet potatoes lists about 1,922 micrograms RAE, more than twice the FDA Daily Value of 900, followed by boiled and raw carrots.
Are all root vegetables starchy?
No. The Dietary Guidelines list cassava, jicama, taro, yam and white potatoes in the starchy subgroup, but beets, radish, rutabaga and turnips with other vegetables.
Is ginger a root vegetable?
UConn Extension lists ginger with the tuberous roots and also names it as a rhizome, an underground stem, which shows how loosely the term root is used in the kitchen.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Cruciferous Vegetables List: The Mustard Family and USDA Data, Starchy Vegetables: List, USDA Nutrition and Non-Starchy Swaps, Carrots Benefits: USDA Carrot Nutrition, Vitamin A and Skin Color.