NOTE: A previous version was incomplete. The full list has been added. - Pamela R.
My colleague Tom Karst compiled this fantastic list of per capita vegetable consumption based on newly-released U.S. Department of Agriculture numbers for fresh vegetable availability.
Overall, there was a 1% erosion of fresh market vegetables per capita, according to the study, from 146.8 pounds in 2000 to 145 pounds in 2016.
So, which fresh vegetables do you think increased in availability the most since 2000?
If you guessed Brussels sprouts, collard greens and sweet potatoes, you guessed right.
Asparagus, brussels sprouts, collard greens, leaf/romaine lettuce, bell peppers, cucumbers and broccoli were all winners, while sweet corn, beans, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower lost ground.
Here's the full list:
- Brussels sprouts, .6lbs, +100%;
- collard greens, 1.4 pounds, + 75%;
- sweet potatoes, 7.2 pounds, +71%;
- okra, .5 pounds, +66%;
- asparagus, 1.5 pounds, +60%;
- kale, .6 lbs, 50%;
- leaf/romaine lettuce, 12.3 pounds, +46.8%;
- bell peppers: 11.4 pounds, +39%;
- broccoli, 7.6 pounds, +28.%;
- cucumbers, 8 pounds, +26.4%;
- garlic, 2.6 pounds, +17%;
- mushrooms, 3 pounds, +15%;
- artichokes, 1.4 pounds, +12.4%;
- tomatoes, 21.3 pounds, +12%
- spinach, 1.5 pounds, +12%;
- radishes, .5 pounds, no change;
- pumpkins, 4.6 pounds, no change;
- onions, 18.7 pounds, -1%;
- carrots, 7.8 pounds, -15.1%;
- cauliflower, 1.5 pounds, -16.4%
- beans (snap/green), 1.7 pounds, -16.5%
- sweet corn, 7.3 pounds, -19.6%;
- celery, 5 pounds, -20.1%;
- potatoes, 33.2 pounds, -30%;
- cabbage, 5.8 pounds, -35.2%;
- head lettuce, 14.9 pounds, -36.4%;
- mustard greens, .3 pounds, -57%ove numbers? Check out the reports yourself here.