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NEW YORK — The most popular vegetable in America is — corn! That's according to a survey of 2,000 Americans who were asked which vegetables they liked and disliked the most. However, it turns out the most surprising result of the study may be that a staggering number of adults haven't eaten any vegetables their entire lives.
Overall, a whopping 91.4% of respondents enjoy eating corn. Potatoes came in an extremely close second at 91.2%, while carrots and tomatoes were tied for the third-most-liked vegetable at 89%. Rounding out the top five are onions and green beans, which tied as the fifth-most popular veggies (87%) according to the survey, which was conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by VeggieTracker.com by Dr. Praeger's.
On the other side of the spectrum, the most hated vegetable is turnips. Nearly three in ten respondents (27%) say they dislike the root veggie. Beets were a close second on the dislike list, at 26%, with radishes (23%), and brussels sprouts (21%) rounding out the bottom four.
The 2019 survey also reveals some shocking numbers — and perhaps a telling truth about the American diet. One in four respondents say they've actually never eaten a vegetable at all! And of those who do eat vegetables, the average person only includes veggies in a third of their meals.
“Most of us already know they should be eating more vegetables. While more and more people are adopting plant-based diets, there’s still a long way to go toward reaching recommended consumption levels,” says Larry Praeger, CEO of Dr. Praeger's, in a statement.
The survey revealed that, while many don't eat vegetables, many more are motivated to increase their vegetable intake. Nearly three in four (72%) of Americans admit they wish they ate more vegetables than they do currently. Similarly, 67% say they feel guilty when they don't have any produce with their meal.
As for why respondents say they don't eat vegetables, a quarter say their produce rots before they can eat it, and the same number feels vegetables are too expensive to buy. Another 22% find veggie take too long to prepare, and 20% aren't sure how to cook them properly.
Curious as to the rest of the results? Here's a look at the top 10 most popular vegetables among Americans:
Corn 91%
Potatoes 91%
Carrots 89%
Tomatoes 89%
Onion 87%
Green beans 87%
Cucumbers 86%
Broccoli 85%
Cabbage 84%
Peas 83%
And the most hated vegetables, according to the survey:
Turnip 27%
Beets 26%
Radish 23%
Brussels sprouts 21%
Artichoke 20%
Eggplant 20%
Butternut squash 20%
Zucchini 18%
Mushroom 18%
Asparagus 16%
This article was first published on October 8, 2019.
