Lettuce
Lettuce is the common name for a number of related plants that grow in “heads”.
Varieties of lettuce include iceberg, romaine, red leaf, and butterhead. Because their growing seasons peak at different times of year, there's always a plenitude of this salad staple.
All lettuce varieties are low in calories and most provide beta carotene, vitamin C and folate. Choose darker lettuce leaves to reap the most antioxidants.
Because lettuce is on the Environmental Working Group's list of the most chemically contaminated foods - the Dirty Dozen - be sure to always pick organic.
Antioxidant Score* (ORAC)=1,423, 963, 438 and 2,380
*Butterhead lettuce (1,423), Romaine lettuce (963), Iceberg lettuce (438) and Red leaf lettuce (2,380)
The Benefits
- Special diets: Autoimmune Paleo Diet, Elimination Diet, Gluten-Free Diet, Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Diet, Grain-Free Diet, Low Acid Diet, Low Carb Diet, Low FODMAP Diet, Low Histamine Diet, Low Oxalate Diet, Low Starch Diet, Paleo Diet (Light), Paleo Diet (Strict), PCOS Diet, Pescetarian Diet, Primal Diet, Vegetarian Diet, Whole Food
- Excellent Source of: VitaminA, VitaminK
- Good Source of: Folate
- Preferences: No Fish, No Red Meat, No Pork, No Eggs, No Shellfish, No Gluten, No Nuts, No Seeds, No Soy, No Dairy, No Poultry, No Corn, No Yeast, No Peanuts, No Molds, No Citrus, No Pseudograins, No Coconut, No Nightshade, No Legumes, No Grains, Low Carbohydrate, Low Cholesterol, Low Fat, Low Sodium, Low Sugars, Low Saturated Fat
Related Foods
Related Nutrients
Selecting and Storing
Choose crisp headsd of lettuce that are free of blemishes. Refrigerate washed-and-dried greens airtight in a plastic bag for 3 to 5 days.
