The healthy facts of lettuce and salad greens

October 9, 2015

Lettuce is the second most popular vegetable sold in supermarkets, topped only by potatoes. There is not question of the health benefits of leafy greens and here some other facts you may not have known about them.

The healthy facts of lettuce and salad greens

Good nutrition

Some lettuces and greens contain lots of beta carotene, folate, vitamin C, calcium, iron and potassium, but the amounts vary considerably. Generally, deeply-coloured leaves have more beta caro­tene and vitamin C than paler varieties. Deeply coloured lettuces and greens are also high in bioflavonoids. These are plant pigments known to work with vitamin C and help prevent cell damage.

The many ways to eat your greens

Salads are low in calories yet filling, since they are high in fibre. Stay away from the creamy, calorie-rich dressing though. Use low-fat alter­natives like herb vinegar mixed with olive oil; a sprinkling of herbs and lemon juice; or low-fat yogurt combined with garlic, chopped parsley and lemon juice. Greens can be mixed with raw fruits or vegetables, cold pasta or chunks of chicken or tuna to make a low-calorie, nutritious main dish. Raw spinach is often used as a salad green, although cooking makes some of its nutrients a bit easier to absorb.

Types of greens

There are dozens of different varieties of lettuce; here are some of the most common.

  • Arugula has a strong flavour and tastes best when grown in cool temperatures.
  • Belgian endive, a slightly bitter chicory relative, is grown under a soil cover to produce a small head of light yellow or white leaves. It brings texture and flavour to salads and can be braised or steamed and served hot.
  • Butterhead (including Boston and bibb) forms loose heads of mild, tender leaves.
  • Chicory and escarole have a bitter taste, but good nutritional value.
  • Iceberg, a crisp, tightly packed head lettuce, is North America's most widely-consumed salad ingredient, but it provides less nutrition than most other greens.
  • Looseleaf, including green and red oak and green and red leaf lettuces, do not form heads.
  • Mâche, or lamb's lettuce, has small, delicate leaves. It's expensive and is most often found in gourmet shops.
  • Romaine has long, crisp, dark green leaves in a loose head. It is used for Caesar salad.
  • Watercress grows in stream beds in the late winter and early spring; it has a sharp flavour and is used mostly as a garnish or in soups.

 

There are two mains reasons for lettuce's popularity: health-conscious people are consuming more fruits and vegetables; and lettuce and greens are now available year-round, thanks to modern refrigeration and food transportation. So get out and enjoy those greens, it'll do your body good.

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