Razib'sWorld: Gift of Nature “Amazing Health Benefits of Lettuce”

Not all lettuce is created equal, but if you start your meal with a salad made of romaine lettuce you will be sure to add not only a variety of textures and flavors to your meal but an enormous amount of nutritional value. Most of the domestic U.S.
harvest of romaine lettuce and other salad greens comes from California and is available throughout the year.

Lettuce is synonymous with salads as they are predominantly made from crispy green lettuce leaves. Most varieties of lettuce exude small amounts of a white, milky liquid when their leaves are broken. This "milk" gives lettuce its slightly bitter flavor and its scientific name, Lactuca sativa derived from the Latin word for milk.

10 Health Benefits:

1. Low Calorie Content and Almost Zero Fat.

Lettuce has only 12 calories for one shredded cup.
This is why it is so good for weight loss.

2. Helps Weight Loss

Lettuce contains fiber and cellulose. Besides filling you up, fiber improves your digestion. Improving your digestion may not sound like a good thing for losing weight, but it is actually essential for long term weight control.

Fiber also helps remove bile salts from the body. When the body replaces these salts it breaks down cholesterol to do so. This is why lettuce is also good for your heart! (See next point.)

3. Heart Healthy

Lettuce’s vitamin C and beta-carotene work together to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. This prevents the build up of plaque.

4. Omega-3 Fatty acids.

Romaine lettuce has a two to one ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. That’s a great ratio.
The fat content in lettuce is not significant UNLESS you eat a lot–but we actually suggest you do!

5. Complete Protein

Romaine lettuce’s calories are 20 percent protein. Like all whole foods, much of this protein is complete, but the amount can be increased by combining with balancing proteins.

Question: What does a 400 pound gorilla eat at the salad bar?

Answer: Anything he wants to!

I don’t imagine gorillas gain all that muscle by just eating lettuce but here is a short video of one doing that very thing!

Gorilla Eating Lettuce

6. Helps with Insomnia

The white fluid that you see when you break or cut lettuce leaves is called lactucarium.

This has relaxing and sleep inducing properties similar to opium but without the strong side effects. Simply eat a few leaves or drink some lettuce juice.

7. Lettuce is Alkaline Forming

The minerals in lettuce help remove toxins and keep your acid/alkaline balance in order. Once you are balanced on this level there are a host of benefits including greater energy, clearer thinking, deep restful sleep, and youthful skin. To browse more benefits check out Benefits of An Alkaline Body.

8. Low Glycemic Index

Lettuce has an average glycemic index of 15, but because it has so few calories, its glycemic load is considered zero. Foods with low glycemic indexes are great for anyone watching their blood sugars for medical reasons, or for weight management.

Of course, lettuce has no refined or white sugars and the host of problems that come with them.

9. Whole Life Food

Lettuce is almost always eaten raw, providing us with many micronutrients not found in cooked or processed food. Eating raw food also adds vital energies not recognized by nutritional science.

Large food corporations have not found a way to package lettuce long term or stick it in cans or boxes. Let’s hope they never do!

In fact, lettuce is one of the few foods which can be found organic and prewashed already in bins for you to eat immediately.

10. Lettuce Tastes Great.

Even though lettuce is very low in calories, many varieties still have a sweet taste. To maximize benefits from your food you should really WANT to eat it with your whole body–not just your mind saying it is good for you. If you like the bitter taste you can find more bitter lettuce options, too!

Photo Gallery of Lettuce: