Benefits of Iceberg Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce 

Lettuce is a green leafy vegetable which essentially possess antioxidants and benefits us in many ways. Its available in different varieties like:

• Romaine lettuce

• Iceberg lettuce

• Curly red lettuce

• Lolo lettuce

Most lettuce are water-filled which makes it crispy in texture and crunchy to bite on. Their colour varies is the shades of green – from light green colour of iceberg lettuce to deep green colour of romaine lettuce, while curly lettuce is reddish or purple in colour. They pair very well with other veggies in a salad bowl. Lettuce Soup, on the other hand, also is equally delicious.

9 Health Benefits of Lettuce

1. Low in Calories - Aids in Weight Loss: Lettuce is a vegetable on which weight watchers can completely rely on. It’s a perfect diet food which adds no calories and no pounds too. Want to learn a salad using Romaine Lettuce? Try Greek Salad.

2. Rich in vitamin C – Keeps Cancer at Bay  : Vitamin C works as an immune building vitamin by way of helping multiply white blood cells (WBC). These along with other antioxidants present in lettuce help to fight against common diseases like cold and cough along with kicking off harmful free radicals from our body. Free radicals if not scavenged from the body harm and wear off our tissues and cells and may be a cause of cancer.

3. Lettuce  Abounds in Vitamin A – Stops Inflammation and Improves Eyesight  : The antioxidants like vitamin A benefit us by ceasing the inflammation in the body which otherwise cause damage at cellular level. It also works with vitamin C to stop free radical damage. ½ cup of Romaine lettuce has 1437 mcg of vitamin A compared to 792 mcg of vitamin A from iceberg lettuce. Vitamin A also has a role to play in healthy vision and glowing skin. Know how to cook vitamin A rich recipes.

4. Good Folate Count – Keeps Heart Healthy : Romaine lettuce is a very good source of folate, a type of B vitamin which has a role in Homocysteine metabolism and its break does in body. High levels of homocysteine otherwise have often being recognized as one of the root cause of heart disease. Additionally the vitamins A and C also help in reducing the inflammation in arteries and keeping them free of plaque, thus reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke also.

5. Low in Glycemic Index – Beneficial to Manage Diabetes : The glycemic index of lettuce is 15 and glycemic load is 1, thus making it a safer addition to a diabetic menu. ½ cup of lettuce lends on 1.5 g of carbs, which do not raise blood sugar levels instantly. Read about Health Benefits of Lettuce for Diabetes in detail.

6. Lettuce  Fair Source of Fiber – Fosters Digestive Health : Iceberg lettuce offers 0.4 g of fiber and Romaine lettuce provides 1.1 g of fiber from ½ cup. Along with the high water content it has, it can be considered as a digestion promoting vegetable which can prevent constipation too.

7. Lettuce  Brimming with Vitamins –  Adds Glow to Skin : Vitamin C helps in collagen synthesis and adding elasticity to skin, vitamin A stops skin cell damage while B vitamins take part in energy metabolism and provide the necessary boost for cell life.  All the vitamins work together to build youthful skin free of wrinkles.

8. Contains Lactucarium – Promotes Sleep : If you break open the lettuce leaves, they contain a substance viz. lactucarium, which promotes sleep by soothing the nervous system. Try adding lettuce to your dinner salad bowl to benefit from it the most.

9. Lettuce  Packed with Folate – Benefits Mums-to-be : Folic acid is one such nutrient which a mother-to-be should start building the reserve of much before conception. This key nutrient is necessary for the brain development of the baby, especially in the pregnancy first trimester. Pregnant women should include this leafy vegetable at least once or twice a week. However the risk of contamination is very high in leafy vegetables. Hence, washing them, cooking them and eating fresh is very crucial.

Lettuce can be considered as a ‘Wholesome food’ for sure. It benefits one and all – be it a pregnant women or a kid, a diabetic or a heart patient or a weight watcher. Learn how to add lettuce to your meals with us….

Nutritionally, prefer Romaine lettuce over the Iceberg lettuce for just one simple reason. Go with the general rule of nutrition which says that dark red and green coloured veggies are more healthier and nutri-bound. This is clearly evident from the Nutrition Facts of Romaine Lettuce v/s Iceberg Lettuce.

Nutritive Information for Romaine Lettuce:

½ Cup of chopped romaine lettuce is about 50 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 9 calories
Protein – 0.6 g
Carbohydrate – 1.5 g
Fat – 0.1 g
Fiber – 1.1 g

See full nutritional details of romaine lettuce in Romaine lettuce glossary click here.

Nutritive Information for Iceberg Lettuce:

½ Cup of chopped iceberg lettuce is about 80 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 17 calories
Protein – 1.68 g
Carbohydrate – 2 g
Fat – 0.24 g
Fiber – 0.4 g

See full nutritional details of iceberg lettuce in Iceberg lettuce glossary click here.