Benefits of Lettuce for Health – Several types of important substances and nutrients contained in lettuce leaves are believed to have a good effect on maintaining a healthy body and preventing various diseases.
Lettuce is usually tucked into burgers or sandwiches. These vegetables are also often mixed with other vegetables and processed into hodgepodge, pickles, or salads. Unfortunately, there are still many people who are not aware of the various benefits of lettuce for the health of the body.
Potential Benefits
There are various types of lettuce. Some of the most commonly consumed types of lettuce are green lettuce, red lettuce, and bokor lettuce.
1. Prevent Dehydration
One of the main benefits of lettuce is to meet the body’s fluid needs and prevents dehydration. The water content in lettuce is very high, even reaching 96%. In addition, lettuce also contains minerals, vitamins, and fiber, which can help the body absorb fluids better.
2. Antidote Free Radicals
Thanks to the high content of anthocyanin antioxidants, beta carotene, and vitamin C, lettuce can protect the body from free radicals. With these benefits, the body will be stronger against infection and avoid various diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and high cholesterol.
3. Maintain Eye Health
Lettuce is also known to improve visual acuity, prevent retinal damage, and maintain overall eye health. This is thanks to the content of beta-carotene and vitamin A in it.
Therefore, it is recommended that you add 1-2 servings of lettuce to your diet to meet the needs of this vitamin.
4. Maintain Bone Health
In addition to vitamin A which is good for eye health, lettuce also contains lots of vitamin K which is important for bone growth and development. Adequate intake of vitamin K is known to prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures.
5. Lose Weight
Although no studies have specifically linked lettuce to weight loss, the high water and fiber content in lettuce can keep you full longer. Therefore, lettuce can be included as part of your healthy diet menu.
6. Helps Lower Blood Pressure
Thanks to its potassium content, lettuce is not only able to lower blood pressure but is also useful for controlling blood pressure. This is important because high and unstable blood pressure can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
In addition, lettuce also contains magnesium, potassium, folate, and vitamin C, which can improve heart health in the long run and reduce various risks of heart disease.
To reap the benefits, choose lettuce that is fresh and not brown or wilted, and avoid lettuce that looks slimy. However, keep in mind that lettuce alone cannot meet your nutritional needs. Also include a variety of vegetables, fruit, and other healthy foods in your diet.
Don’t forget to always balance a nutritious diet with a healthy lifestyle. You also need to know that these vegetables run the risk of causing allergic reactions, especially in people who have allergies to plant products, such as peanuts and soy. However, this rarely happens.
In addition, caution is advised when eating lettuce in large quantities because it can cause stomach aches and flatulence in some people.
The benefits of lettuce are very diverse. However, if you can’t eat lettuce, eat other types of vegetables to get enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Nutrition Content
The nutritional content of lettuce varies across varieties. A large amount of vitamin A, along with trace levels of vitamin C and iron, are present in almost all lettuces.
Nutrients per Serving
1. A cup of chopped romaine lettuce contains:
Calories: 8
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Sugar: 1 gram
Vitamin A content in romaine lettuce is 82% of the daily recommended value. It also has trace levels of calcium, iron, and vitamin C.
2. A cup of chopped iceberg lettuce contains:
Calories: 10
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Sugar: 1 gram
7% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A is found in iceberg lettuce. Iron and vitamin C are also present in trace amounts. Compared to other lettuce kinds, it has fewer vitamins and minerals.
3. A cup of chopped red leaf lettuce contains:
Calories: 4
Protein: 0 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 1 gram
Fiber: 0 gram
Sugar: 0 gram
Vitamin A content in red leaf lettuce is 42% of the daily recommended intake. Iron and vitamin C are also present in trace amounts.
4. A cup of chopped butterhead lettuce contains:
Calories: 7
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram
Sugar: 1 gram
Vitamin A content in butterhead lettuce is 36% of the daily recommended amount. It also has trace levels of calcium, iron, and vitamin C.
How to Prepare Lettuce
Although lettuce is frequently used in salads, there are other ways to eat it. Try lettuce in these dishes to reap its health benefits:
- Wraps
- Smoothies
- Sandwiches
- Tacos
- Rice dishes
- Egg rolls and spring rolls
With some sandwiches or burgers, you can also use lettuce in place of bread, depending on the variety.
Side Effects of Eating too Much Lettuce
Even though it has healthful benefits, apparently if you eat too much lettuce it will have a bad impact on the body. It is known that consuming 100 grams of roman lettuce is enough to meet 34 percent of the body’s need for folic acid. Folic acid is a component of DNA and RNA, so it is very important for the growth and replacement of damaged body cells. However, when lettuce is consumed in excess, it will also have detrimental effects on health.
Here are some side effects if you eat too much lettuce
1. Unbalanced Nutrition
Most vegetables are high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and healthy fats. Those carbs come with enough dietary fiber to prevent the vegetables from causing blood sugar spikes. But, even with this fiber, a plate of vegetables doesn’t make for a nutritional balance. Protein is also still needed to build and repair healthy cells in the body, as well as build new lean muscle tissue. So, if you often eat vegetables as a daily menu, make sure to balance them with some protein and fat at every meal.
2. Not Rich in Taste
Some adults still feel uninterested in eating vegetables. Even if you eat at least 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-3 servings of fruit every day. You can provide several additional benefits for the body. Part of the reason may be that many vegetables taste bitter or bland. So it doesn’t always taste good when eaten raw or even when cooked. Therefore, in processing vegetables you have to be creative by using cooking techniques. As well as spices so that the taste suits your taste.
3. Risk of Contamination
Much of the contamination can be traced to norovirus, which is spread from water contaminated with fecal matter. Most vegetable contamination can be prevented by frequent hand washing. Don’t forget to wash and dry the vegetables thoroughly before processing and serving. The FDA recommends reducing the risk of foodborne illness by storing vegetables separately from the meat. In addition, routinely clean the cutting board when cooking meat and vegetables.
4. Pesticide Residues
Pesticides used in conventional farming also present health risks to consumers. According to a 2013 report from the Environmental Working Group, chemicals commonly found in pesticides contain neurotoxins. This can negatively affect the developing nervous system of infants and children. Pesticides have also been linked to infertility, reduced immune function, and other chronic health problems. You can remove pesticide residue by washing vegetables and scrubbing them. Vegetables that have a rough outer skin like potatoes and carrots.
