By: Melita Horvat |
Astonishing benefits of lettuce |
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Lettuce (Latin name Lactuca sativa) has firmly taken its place at kitchen tables around the world since the ancient times.
Its origin has not been determined, but according to some findings, today's lettuce is a descendant of the wild species that grew in the area of Siberia.
Even the ancient Greeks and Romans recognized its valuable properties and regularly enriched their menus with this valuable vegetable.
Hippocrates, the Greek physician and father of medicine, attributed strong medicinal properties to lettuce.
In ancient Persia it was prized as a food that provided peace of mind.
In the past it was known as "wise men grass", which reflects its value and power.
A great source of valuable nutrients
Lettuce is a source of many nutrients important for human health.
It is rich in vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B6 and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper.
When it comes to lettuce, a simple rule is applied: the darker the leaves, the higher the nutritional value.
Because of ignorance, many people throw away outer leaves, because, unlike the inner layers, the outer leaves are tough and sinewy.
This is a great mistake, since the outer leaves contain twice as much vitamin C than the inner ones.
Keep in mind that lettuce is an extremely sensitive food. It is best and most useful when freshly picked, because it loses vitamins and minerals if you leave it for prolonged time.
Therefore, always eat freshly prepared lettuce.
If you have your own vegetable garden, pick and prepare the amount needed for one meal.
Never cut it before you intent to eat it, because that way you will destroy large quantities of vitamin C.
The benefits of lettuce
This plant rightfully belongs to the group of foods that you should consume daily.
It is rich in vitamin C, which is a strong ally of the organism in defending against many diseases.
Its rich nutritional composition promotes detoxification processes.
Consumption of lettuce helps to establish the alkaline balance of the body, which brings a number of benefits - increased energy, better digestion, clearer mind, restful sleep and youthful looking skin.
An important ingredient of lettuce is folic acid (vitamin B9), which is essential for many processes in the human body.
This vitamin prevents the development of certain types of anemia, protects against osteoporosis and, in combination vitamin B12, is essential for the development of new blood cells.
Folic acid is essential for pregnant women because its deficiency in the is associated with various malformations of the embryo, from which neural tube defect is the most common.
Studies have confirmed that regular intake of this vitamin is an excellent prevention of many types of cancer.
Lettuce contains lactium - a substance that has soothing properties.
Therefore, the increased consumption of lettuce is highly recommended in cases of anxiety, tension, irritability and insomnia.
Lettuce is certainly not a calorie-rich food (100 grams contains only 15 calories), but it is rich in nutrients and dietary fiber, which makes it perfect and irreplaceable for promoting weight loss.
Numerous varieties of lettuce
There are over 200 varieties of lettuce around the world. In the region of Croatia the most common ones are plain lettuce, iceberg lettuce and crisphead lettuce, followed by Roman lettuce, endive, chicory, lamb's lettuce and arugula.
Iceberg lettuce - leaves of this lettuce are pale green, properly edged, smooth, soft and gentle.
Crisphead – lettuce with curly, corrugated leaves with irregular and jagged peaks.
Roman salad - an elongated head, leaves are crunchy, and their color can vary from yellow-green, green to dark green.
Endive - there are two types of this salad - endive with smooth, elongated, oval leaves and curly endive with wrinkled sheets.
Radicchio - native perennial vegetable with long serrated leaves, bitter taste, but of a priceless nutritional value.
Corn salad - very tasty wild plant. It is resistant to winter cold and is ideal for autumn sowing and winter harvest. It is perfect for enriching nutritionally poorer winter menu.
Arugula - wild plant with bitter taste has been an essential part of the Mediterranean cuisine for years.
Lettuce in cuisine
All types of lettuce are usually consumed raw, as a side dish to the main course.
However, lettuce can be a great stand-alone light, refreshing meal. Some lettuce types, such as arugula, can be a great complement to pasta, rice and potato dishes.
The combination of fruit and lettuce makes for a great smoothie. Lettuce is also perfect for preparing delicious and healthy cream soup.
If you eat raw lettuce, you can season it with olive, sunflower or pumpkin oil, apple cider vinegar or lemon, pepper, oregano leaves and other spices according to your taste.
Alone or in combination with other ingredients, lettuce is a real feast for your eyes and your palate.
Cosmetics made of lettuce
Green salad is not only used in cuisine but also in cosmetics.
Here are a few interesting recipes for skin, face and neck care.
Skin mask
This mask has a beneficial effect on the skin making it soft and gentle. In particular, it helps with the problem of dry and cracked skin.
Boil a few lettuce leaves in water for one minute. Remove them from the water, finely cut and wrap them in gauze.
Put those wraps on the skin of your face, neck or other body parts.
After thirty minutes, remove wraps and rinse your skin using chamomile tea.
Skin lotion
Lettuce cream relieves redness of the skin caused by sunshine and wind, and cures pimples.
Simmer lettuce leaves for about an hour and a half over a mild fire.
After that strain the mixture. Use the resulting liquid for face and neck skin care.
Store the cream in a dark and cool place, but not longer than three days.
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