Food & Drink

Know The Types, Properties and Benefits of Lettuce

Know The Types, Properties and Benefits of Lettuce - eBuddy News

Lettuce is without a doubt the queen of salads. Although there are salads based on other ingredients, such as potatoes, avocado, carrots, beets, even pasta or lentils, lettuce is almost synonymous with salad. Read on this article to know the properties and benefits of lettuce.

What is Lettuce?

Lettuce, whose scientific name is Lactuca sativa, is a plant typical of semi-temperate regions. There are different types and varieties, and although it can be planted for many months, at present, when grown many times in greenhouses, it can be found throughout the year.

Types and Varieties of Lettuce

There are many types of lettuce that we can find today. Varieties are more consumed in some regions and less in others, but it is very common that in large greengrocers there are different varieties of lettuce to choose from.

Romaine lettuce

It is perhaps the most common of all lettuce varieties. Also called Romanesque or Italian, it is more resistant to heat than the other varieties. That’s why it is grown a lot in warm areas. At the same time, it is the one that most concentrates properties, especially minerals, which makes it one of the favorites of those who want to benefit from the nutritional properties of lettuce.

Iceberg lettuce

Benefits of Lettuce - eBuddy News

It is lettuce, due to its ease of transport is the most used. Also, it is more resistant and easy to store. And it is the one used in many salads and as an accompaniment in restaurants, and especially in fast food. But it is good to know that this type of lettuce, although it contains properties, is the one that has the least vitamins and minerals. Therefore it is the least recommended for balanced diets.

Batavia lettuce

This lettuce is one of the most common varieties too. Due to its texture, it is highly appreciated in haute cuisine. Although 90% of its composition is water, it contains many minerals and vitamins.

Trocadero lettuce

This lettuce, with its strong green leaves, is highly prized for its texture. There are sub-varieties (lunary, pomery, etc.) but they are usually very similar to each other.

Oakleaf lettuce

Another of the most common varieties is oak leaf lettuce, scientifically called Chicorium Intybus. Due to its reddish color, it combines very well in the mixtures of different lettuces, thus giving a very particular touch.

Calories of lettuce. Get fat?

Many people who are starting a diet wonder if lettuce gets fat. Depending on the variety of lettuce, its calories range between 14 and 17 calories per 100 grams of the food. To get an idea, a skimmed yogurt contains 59 calories per 100 grams, while white bread contains 265 calories. With which we can say that if there is a food that is at the same nutritious and not fattening at all is lettuce.

Properties and Benefits of lettuce

Letture Benefits - eBuddy News

Lettuce contains very interesting nutritional properties, especially minerals and vitamins. As for vitamins, it contains several of the group B, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid, in addition to vitamin A, of which it provides with just one serving of 100 grams the necessary daily recommended amount, and vitamins C, E, and K.

As for minerals, it contains many, highlighting calcium, magnesium, and potassium. All these nutrients present bring numerous health benefits of lettuce.

Calcium

While lettuce contains calcium, not all varieties contain the same amounts of this mineral. For example, romaine or red leaf or oak lettuce have 33 mg of calcium per 100 grams of food, while green leaf lettuce contains 36 mg and iceberg 18 mg per 100 grams of your food.

Magnesium

In the case of magnesium, another mineral present in lettuce, romaine contains 14 mg per 100 grams, while that of red or oak leaves contains 12 mg per 100 grams of the food. For its part, green leaf lettuce contains 13 mg and iceberg 7 mg.

Potassium

The amounts of potassium present in the properties of lettuce are quite good. For example, romaine lettuce contains 247 mg of the mineral, while iceberg contains 141. The other main varieties of lettuce, red and green, contain 184 and 197 mg per 100 grams of food respectively.

Does Lettuce Give Gas?

Lettuce, like cabbage and broccoli, can give gas. This does not mean that if you suffer from gases you cannot eat salads, but you can make mixed salads, with lettuce but also alfalfa sprouts, grated carrots, and radishes, to give an example of foods that do not produce gases. Now that you have known all the benefits of lettuce, do not forget to add this into your diet daily.

 

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