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Cruciferous vegetables are the vegetables of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, which was formerly called Cruciferae; Michigan State University’s invasive species glossary notes that members typically have four-petaled flowers arranged in a cross shape. NC State Extension counts more than 300 genera and 3,000 species in the family. This cruciferous vegetables list ranks 19 USDA entries, from broccoli and Brussels sprouts to kale, cabbage and radishes, by vitamin C per cup, with FDC IDs, fiber, vitamin K and folate from USDA FoodData Central.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- NC State Extension calls the mustard family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae; its cole crops, varieties of the species Brassica oleracea, include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards and kale, and the other crucifers include mustard, turnip, rutabaga and radish.
- Per cup, boiled broccoli lists about 101.2 milligrams of vitamin C in USDA data, 112% of the FDA Daily Value, and raw kohlrabi about 83.7 milligrams.
- Cooked greens from the family list the most vitamin K: about 829.8 micrograms per cup of boiled mustard leaves and 772.5 micrograms per cup of boiled collards in USDA data, many times the FDA Daily Value of 120 micrograms.
- NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says people taking warfarin need a consistent intake of vitamin K, so the vitamin K column matters for them.
- The edible part differs across the family: UF/IFAS names kohlrabi's swollen stem and daikon's root, and USDA lists broccoli flower clusters as a separate entry.
What are cruciferous vegetables?
The group is defined by plant family, not by the part of the plant eaten, and extension sources agree on the core members. NC State Extension says the cole crops are varieties of one species, Brassica oleracea, and lists broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards and kale, with mustard, turnip, rutabaga and radish as other crucifers. UF/IFAS gives the scientific names: Brassica oleracea Italica group for broccoli, Capitata group for cabbage, Botrytis group for cauliflower, Acephala group for collards and var. gongylodes for kohlrabi; Brassica rapa for turnips and Chinese mustard; Brassica juncea for mustard; and Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus for the oriental radish. UF/IFAS also covers bok choy and daikon among the Asian crucifers.
The family reaches beyond the Brassica genus: Wisconsin Horticulture describes arugula (Eruca sativa) as a leafy green in the mustard family, and the Missouri Department of Conservation lists watercress (Nasturtium officinale) in Brassicaceae. Our guides to horseradish, wasabi, romanesco, broccolini and broccoli rabe cover more relatives.
Cruciferous vegetables list ranked by USDA vitamin C per cup
The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries converted to one cup. Vegetables usually eaten cooked are boiled without salt, salad greens are raw, and broccoli, cauliflower and kale appear both ways. Each percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 and older: 28 grams of dietary fiber, 90 milligrams of vitamin C, 120 micrograms of vitamin K and 400 micrograms DFE of folate.
| Crucifer (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Fiber | Vitamin C | Vitamin K | Folate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli, boiled, chopped (169967) | 1 cup, 156 g | 55 | 5.1 g (18%) | 101.2 mg (112%) | 220.1 mcg (183%) | 168 mcg DFE (42%) |
| Brussels sprouts, boiled (169971) | 1 cup, 156 g | 56 | 4.1 g (14%) | 96.7 mg (107%) | 218.9 mcg (182%) | 94 mcg DFE (23%) |
| Kohlrabi, raw (168424) | 1 cup, 135 g | 36 | 4.9 g (17%) | 83.7 mg (93%) | 0.1 mcg (0%) | 22 mcg DFE (5%) |
| Broccoli, raw, chopped (170379) | 1 cup, 91 g | 31 | 2.4 g (8%) | 81.2 mg (90%) | 92.5 mcg (77%) | 57 mcg DFE (14%) |
| Cauliflower, boiled (170397) | 1 cup, 124 g | 29 | 2.9 g (10%) | 54.9 mg (61%) | 17.1 mcg (14%) | 55 mcg DFE (14%) |
| Cauliflower, raw, chopped (169986) | 1 cup, 107 g | 27 | 2.1 g (8%) | 51.6 mg (57%) | 16.6 mcg (14%) | 61 mcg DFE (15%) |
| Cabbage, red, raw, chopped (169977) | 1 cup, 89 g | 28 | 1.9 g (7%) | 50.7 mg (56%) | 34.0 mcg (28%) | 16 mcg DFE (4%) |
| Bok choy (pak-choi), boiled, shredded (170391) | 1 cup, 170 g | 20 | 1.7 g (6%) | 44.2 mg (49%) | 57.8 mcg (48%) | 70 mcg DFE (17%) |
| Turnip greens, boiled, chopped (170466) | 1 cup, 144 g | 29 | 5.0 g (18%) | 39.5 mg (44%) | 529.3 mcg (441%) | 170 mcg DFE (42%) |
| Mustard greens, boiled, chopped (169257) | 1 cup, 140 g | 36 | 2.8 g (10%) | 35.4 mg (39%) | 829.8 mcg (691%) | 13 mcg DFE (3%) |
| Collards, boiled, chopped (170407) | 1 cup, 190 g | 63 | 7.6 g (27%) | 34.6 mg (38%) | 772.5 mcg (644%) | 30 mcg DFE (8%) |
| Cabbage, green, raw, chopped (169975) | 1 cup, 89 g | 22 | 2.2 g (8%) | 32.6 mg (36%) | 67.6 mcg (56%) | 38 mcg DFE (10%) |
| Rutabagas, boiled, cubes (168455) | 1 cup, 170 g | 51 | 3.1 g (11%) | 32.0 mg (36%) | 0.3 mcg (0%) | 26 mcg DFE (6%) |
| Kale, boiled (169238) | 1 cup, 118 g | 42 | 4.7 g (17%) | 21.0 mg (23%) | 493.8 mcg (412%) | 77 mcg DFE (19%) |
| Kale, raw (168421) | 1 cup, 21 g | 7 | 0.9 g (3%) | 19.6 mg (22%) | 81.8 mcg (68%) | 13 mcg DFE (3%) |
| Turnips, boiled, cubes (170058) | 1 cup, 156 g | 34 | 3.1 g (11%) | 18.1 mg (20%) | 0.2 mcg (0%) | 14 mcg DFE (4%) |
| Radishes, red, raw, slices (169276) | 1 cup, 116 g | 19 | 1.9 g (7%) | 17.2 mg (19%) | 1.5 mcg (1%) | 29 mcg DFE (7%) |
| Watercress, raw, chopped (170068) | 1 cup, 34 g | 4 | 0.2 g (1%) | 14.6 mg (16%) | 85.0 mcg (71%) | 3 mcg DFE (1%) |
| Arugula, raw (169387) | 1 cup, 20 g | 5 | 0.3 g (1%) | 3.0 mg (3%) | 21.7 mcg (18%) | 19 mcg DFE (5%) |
Broccoli and its Brassica oleracea relatives lead the vitamin C ranking: boiled broccoli and Brussels sprouts list about 96.7 to 101.2 milligrams per cup in USDA data, and raw kohlrabi and raw broccoli follow at about 83.7 and 81.2 milligrams. Cauliflower and red cabbage list roughly half the FDA Daily Value per cup in USDA data. The root crucifers, rutabagas, turnips and radishes, list about 17.2 to 32.0 milligrams per cup in USDA data.
Vitamin K in the leafy members of the family
The vitamin K column splits the family in two. Boiled leaves list the most in USDA data: about 829.8 micrograms per cup for mustard greens, 772.5 micrograms for collard greens, 529.3 micrograms for turnip greens and 493.8 micrograms for kale, several times the FDA Daily Value of 120 micrograms. The roots and stems, kohlrabi, rutabagas, turnips and radishes, list 0.1 to 1.5 micrograms per cup in USDA data. This matches the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, which says phylloquinone, the main dietary form of vitamin K, is present primarily in green leafy vegetables.
The Office of Dietary Supplements also says vitamin K can have a serious and potentially dangerous interaction with anticoagulants such as warfarin, and that people taking warfarin and similar anticoagulants need to maintain a consistent intake of vitamin K from food and supplements, because sudden changes can increase or decrease the anticoagulant effect. Anyone in that situation should talk with their doctor before changing how many cooked greens they eat. Our vitamin K foods list and guide to leafy greens cover more foods.
Raw or cooked: what the cup holds
Per-cup rankings depend on weight. USDA lists a cup of raw kale at 21 grams and a cup of boiled kale at 118 grams, so the boiled cup lists about 493.8 micrograms of vitamin K against 81.8 for the raw cup, while the per-100-gram figures are about 418.5 and 389.6 micrograms in USDA data. Vitamin C behaves differently: raw kale lists about 93.4 milligrams per 100 grams and boiled kale about 17.8 milligrams in USDA data, so the cooked entry carries less vitamin C per gram even though the cup is heavier.
Broccoli shows a smaller gap. USDA lists about 89.2 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams raw and 64.9 milligrams boiled, but a cup of boiled broccoli weighs 156 grams against 91 grams raw, so the boiled cup lists more per cup in USDA data. Our vitamin C foods list compares the family with fruit, and our sulforaphane list covers a compound tied to these plants.
Where crucifers sit in the Dietary Guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, split the family across two vegetable subgroups. Bok choy, broccoli, collards, kale, watercress and the leaves of mustard and turnip plants are examples of the dark-green subgroup. Brussels sprouts, green, red and savoy cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga and turnips are listed with other vegetables. None of the crucifers in this list appears among the Dietary Guidelines’ starchy examples, and our root vegetables list covers the turnip, rutabaga and radish rows next to other roots.
Gas and other notes
- Gas: NIDDK names cruciferous vegetables, a group that includes broccoli, cauliflower, collards and kale, among foods containing carbohydrates that may lead to excess gas in some people, and notes that some people have more gas when they consume too much fiber; NIDDK suggests talking with your doctor about your diet, and our gas guide explains the causes.
- Values vary: USDA SR Legacy figures are averages for each entry; fresh, frozen and canned forms differ, and the Nutrition Facts label on a package is the figure for that product.
- Plant parts: UF/IFAS lists kohlrabi as having edible swollen stems and daikon as an edible root, which is why the family shows up in both this list and our list of root crops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cruciferous vegetables list based on?
On family membership: NC State Extension lists broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard, turnip, rutabaga and radish among the crucifers, and the table ranks 19 USDA entries by vitamin C per cup.
Why are they called cruciferous?
The family’s former name is Cruciferae, and Michigan State University’s invasive species glossary notes that its members typically have four-petaled flowers arranged in a cross shape. NC State Extension gives both names, Brassicaceae and Cruciferae.
Which cruciferous vegetable lists the most vitamin C?
In USDA data, a cup of boiled broccoli lists about 101.2 milligrams, 112% of the FDA Daily Value, followed closely by the boiled sprouts row and raw kohlrabi.
Which salad greens belong to the mustard family?
Wisconsin Horticulture places arugula in the mustard family and the Missouri Department of Conservation lists watercress in Brassicaceae; USDA lists a cup of raw watercress at about 85.0 micrograms of vitamin K.
Do cruciferous vegetables contain vitamin K?
The leafy ones list a lot in USDA data, and NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements says people taking warfarin need a consistent vitamin K intake and should work with their doctor; the root crucifers list very little.
Are radishes and turnips cruciferous?
Yes. NC State Extension names turnip, rutabaga and radish as crucifers, and UF/IFAS lists the turnip as Brassica rapa and the radish as Raphanus sativus.
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: Root Vegetables List: True Roots, Tubers and USDA Values, Leafy Greens: USDA List of Dark Greens, Spinach vs Kale and Tips, Broccoli: Nutrition, Benefits and Raw vs Cooked Facts, Brussels Sprouts: USDA Nutrition and Are They Healthy?, List of Vegetables: The Five Subgroups With USDA Values.