Romaine Lettuce Nutrition

Salads form an essential side dish in many households across the world on a daily basis. Right from Mexican to Chinese cuisines, salads compliment all delicacies. So, what veggies can you think of while preparing a fresh, wholesome, and nutritious salad? Cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, a healthy squeeze of lemon, anymore? Well, to add more crispness and nutrients to the salad include romaine lettuce, a variety of lettuce. Serve your salad on sheets of romaine lettuce and there you go! Your salad would now look complete with the necessary ingredients of a colorful, vibrant, delicious, and sumptuous salad. A variety of lettuce, romaine lettuce represents an elongated head of dark green, strong leaves with a firm rib, reaching almost to the tip of the leaf. Compared to other lettuce varieties, romaine lettuce is heat tolerant and has a slight pleasant bitter taste. A native to the Eastern Mediterranean region and Western Asia, romaine lettuce is scientifically known as Lactuca sativa, a name derived from the Latin word meaning ‘milk’. It is a member of the Asteraceae family, which also includes crisphead, butterhead and leaf. Similar to other lettuces, romaine lettuce is healthy and rich in several nutritious compounds, apart from the crisp and delightful taste it provides to salads. The benefits are numerous and substantial, some of them being listed in the following sections.

Romaine lettuce is also known as “Cos”, since this lettuce variety was named after the Greek island where it actually originated. It was the French who later renamed the lettuce to romaine, the name by which it is widely known today. Originally from the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia, romaine lettuce has its history dating back to 4500 BC where the paintings depict its presence in ancient Egyptian tombs. It was prized for its excellent culinary properties and use in the therapeutic medicines. The use of lettuce was also prevalent in Chinese kitchens in the 5^th century, where it was grown and consumed either raw or cooked. On his second voyage to North America in 1493, Christopher Columbus introduced varieties of lettuce to this part of the world. The first lettuce plant was cultivated in California, known as the lettuce capital of the United States today, by the Spanish missionaries in the 17^th century. Today, romaine lettuce is a common component in Caesar salad and Middle Eastern delicacies, in particular.

Health Benefits of Kasmisaag (Romaine Lettuce)

• Romaine lettuce is extremely rich in vitamin K which is necessary for blood clotting and preventing blood loss during injuries.

• With plentiful of vitamin A, beta carotene, content in romaine, it promotes healthy skin, hair, and mucus membranes, apart from protecting one’s eyesight and reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

• Rich in antioxidant vitamin C, romaine is essential for maintaining healthy blood vessels and controlling cholesterol levels, resulting in the reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

• Folic acid is important for metabolizing protein, stabilizing moods and improving memory. With a significant amount of folic acid provided by romaine, it helps in the proper development of fetus and production of red blood cells.

• Romaine lettuce contains fiber elements, significant for keeping the digestive system healthy. By binding the bile salts in the colon and removing them from the body, romaine stimulates bile production and lowers cholesterol levels.

• Not only does fiber ease digestion, it acts as a diet aid by inhibiting fat absorption and giving you feelings of fullness without increasing your calorie intake.

• Folate has been associated with preventing neurological disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and reducing depression and anxiety. A deficiency of folate can lead to irritability, fatigue, mental confusion, and gum disease. Besides, its deficiency can also result in birth defects; hence, romaine lettuce is highly beneficial for pregnant women so that they can consume the best from leafy green vegetables.

• Leafy green vegetables, like romaine lettuce, contain saponins that are linked with lowering LDL cholesterol and enhancing the immune system.

• Folic acid and B vitamins combine to prevent the damage in the blood vessels and lower blood pressure levels, thereby decreasing the risks of heart attack and strokes.

Nutritional Value & Calories In Romaine Lettuce

Amount: 1 cup

Total Weight: 55 g

How many calories in romaine lettuce (per 100 gm)

Romaine lettuce has about 17 calories per 100 gm of weight.

How to Buy Romaine Lettuce

• To enjoy all the health benefits of romaine lettuce, it is important that you follow some buying tips and storing techniques. Always check the compactness of the head.

• Pick up romaine lettuce with bright, crisp heads that are free from limp, wilted or yellow leaves.

• Avoid buying romaine lettuce that has any discolorations on the stem and head. Also, they should not have any dark or slimy spots.

Romaine Lettuce Storage Tips

• After you have bought the crisp and fresh romaine lettuce at home, wash it thoroughly under running tap water. Thereafter, dry it to remove excess moisture and wrap it in a damp cloth or vegetable plastic keeper in the refrigerator’s crisper.

• When stored properly in the crisper, romaine lettuce keeps fresh for about one week.

• Never store romaine lettuce with apples and pears, as they tend to brown the lettuce leaves.