THE LOWDOWN ON LETTUCE

I have always been a lettuce lover, I can't remember too many meals that  haven't ended with salad.   Where I grew up salad was believed to be a helper in digestion (it also cleanses you palet) and so we always had our salad at the end of the meal.  To this day I still believe that.   Now I am not talking about the fat and calorie packed salads that are commonly consumed today, I am talking a simple green salad (maybe throw in some tomato and cucumber, I wouldn't object to that).   But, what kind of lettuce is the best for you?   Well, in cooking school I learned that romaine lettuce has the most nutrients than any other lettuce, so here is the lowdown. Iceberg versus Romaine:

One cup of iceberg lettuce has:

8 calories


0.5 gram protein

0.7 gram fiber

10 mg calcium

78 mg potassium

1.5 mg vitamin C

16 mcg folate

13.3 mcg of vitamin K

164 mcg beta carotene

152 mcg of lutein + zeaxanthin

One cup of romaine lettuce has:

8 calories

0.58 gram protein

1 gram fiber

16 mg calcium

116 mg potassium

11.3 mg vitamin C

64 mcg folate

48.2 mcg vitamin K

1637 mcg beta carotene

1087 mcg of lutein + zeaxanthin.
 
 
and the winner is clear ROMAINE WINS (I knew it would and it tastes better too)
 
Nutrition info obtained from http://www.about.com/
 
So, enjoy a green salad everyday and help you digestive system it will thank you!
 
Jacqui Allen