The New Complete Book of Food

 0The New Complete Book of Food

Comparing the Nutritional Value of Lettuces (Continued)

u   Romaine lettuce has about one-third more vitamin A than iceberg, three times as

much as Boston and Bibb, and eight times as much as iceberg.

u   Romaine lettuce has about one third more vitamin C than looseleaf, three times as

much as Boston and Bibb, and six times as much as iceberg.

u   Shredded romaine lettuce has more than twice as much folate as an equal serving of

shredded iceberg, butterhead, or Boston lettuce; nearly three times as much as

loose-leaf lettuce.

Source: Composition of Foods, Vegetables and Vegetable Products, Agriculture Handbook No. 8–11

(USDA 1984).

The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food

Fresh, dark leaves, torn just before serving to preserve vitamin C. Given a choice among all

the varieties of lettuce, pick romaine. Overall, it has larger amounts of vitamins and minerals

than any other lettuce.

Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food

Antiflatulence diet

Low-calcium diet

Low-carbohydrate diet

Low-fiber diet

Buying This Food

Look for: Brightly colored heads. Iceberg lettuce should be tightly closed and heavy for its

size. Loose leaf lettuces should be crisp. All lettuces should be symmetrically shaped. An

asymmetric shape suggests a large hidden stem that is crowding the leaves to one side or

the other.

Avoid: Lettuce with faded or yellow leaves; lettuce leaves turn yellow as they age and their

green chlorophyll fades, revealing the yellow carotenes underneath. Brown or wilted leaves

are a sign of aging or poor storage. Either way, the lettuce is no longer at its best.

Storing This Food

Wrap lettuce in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator. The colder the storage, the longer

the lettuce will keep. Most lettuce will stay fresh and crisp for as long at three weeks at 32°F.

Raise the temperature just six degrees to 38°F (which is about the temperature inside your

refrigerator), and the lettuce may wilt in a week.