Lettuce is the common name for Leafy Green Vegetable, a family of greens. Lettuce originated in the ancient Romans and Greeks and was regarded as a healthy food, since it contains a lot of vitamin A. The other vitamin contents found in the greens are riboflavin, folic acid, niacin and potassium. Leafy green vegetables provide essential protein and iron to the body. In fact, leafy green vegetable has more vitamin A than any other vegetables or fruit apart from oranges. Hence, the health benefits associated with Lettuce include weight loss, nourishing the body with vitamins, easy weight control and prevention of certain diseases.
The food value of lettuce is high due to the presence of vitamin A and E in it. Vitamin A helps to protect against degenerative eye diseases and skin disorders. It helps to prevent against age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, cataract and Parkinson’s disease and also helps to increase one’s immunity system. Moreover, vitamin E helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases and certain cancers. Therefore, by eating lettuce we can not only ensure that we have a healthy lifestyle but also can reap the many health benefits that it provides.
The vitamin content of lettuce ensures that it maintains a balance in your body and maintains a healthy nervous system. This prevents depression and anxiety, two common health problems prevalent today. Lettuce also helps to maintain good vision and thus maintains good eyesight. It is an excellent source of antioxidants that play a vital role in cancer prevention and fighting free radicals that lead to heart diseases and premature aging. Hence, the food value of Lettuce ensures the best health benefits for you.
Lettuce is used for preparing a wide range of delicious foods especially in salads and sandwiches. Hence, it is consumed either raw or cooked. However, raw lettuce lacks vitamin C and therefore, the best way to get the required amount of vitamin C is to consume it cooked. You can find Lettuce at almost all grocery stores and supermarkets.
In addition to the above reasons, the other important health benefit of lettuce is its rich fiber content which helps in regulating bowel movements. This further ensures that your body absorbs the nutrients properly and helps to maintain the health of your bowels. It is therefore easy to understand why the food value of lettuce transcends across cultures and regions and is considered as a super food. There are various ways of cooking lettuce to prepare it to be a better food.
To sum up, Lettuce has been a popular choice among nutritionists across the globe because of its nutritional value, taste and availability in various forms. Its versatility and health benefits make it worth to spend money on this nutrient packed food. Furthermore, its availability in supermarkets makes it possible to have healthy and fresh tasting vegetables in our daily diet. Make sure to enjoy its food value and health benefits. Eat lots of Lettuce!