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Lettuce
Every knowledge on vegetables, health and nutrition.
Scientific Name
Lactuca sativa (Asteraceae family)Common name
Lettuce
Varieties and seasons
The Lactuca genus comprises around 70 species. However, there are four main varieties of cultivated lettuces:
-Round or cabbage lettuces are the most commonly eaten, with a dense heart the shape of an apple.
-Batavia lettuces, similar to cabbage lettuces, have thicker leaves and resist well in dry conditions.
-Oak leaf lettuce with its highly tender leaves, and “Lollo rossa” with its attractive curly, colourful leaves.
-Cos lettuce has large elongated leaves with curved leaf ribs.
Vegetable garden: growing lettuce
Lettuces are annual plants:
-Spring lettuces: sown from February under a cold frame or in greenhouses to April in the open ground, with a harvest from April to June.
-Summer and autumn lettuces: sowing from March to August in open ground, with harvesting from June to October.
-Winter lettuces: sowing in August/September with protection over winter for harvesting in February/March.
Production
France is the third largest producer of salad in Europe after Spain and Italy, far behind the US and China when considered on a global scale.
Consumption
In comparison, a Spaniard consumes 19 kg of salad a year, a French 7,3kg. However, these quantities do not take into account home garden production.
Nutritional values (per 100 g)
Raw* | Cooked* | RDI** | |
|---|---|---|---|
Energy | 12 kcal | 11 kcal | |
Proteins | 1.2 g | 1.2 g | |
Carbohydrates | 1.3 g | 1 g | |
Fat | 0.3 g | 0.3 g | |
Fibres | 1.5 g | 1.8 g | 30 g |
Sodium | 15 mg | 5 mg | |
Potassium | 234 mg | 112 mg | 2,000 mg |
Provitamin A | 360 µg | 540 µg | 4,800 µg |
Vitamin C | 8 mg | 5 mg | 80 mg |
Vitamin B9 | 84 µg | 60 µg | 200 µg |
Lutein+zeaxanthin*** | 1,730 µg |
* Ciqual 1995 **Recommended Daily Intake ***USDA |
Nutritionist’s advice
Like all leafy vegetables, lettuce has a high water content and therefore contains few calories: it is one of the least calorific foods that we consume, along with cucumbers.
However, it is rich in rare and precious nutrients : provitamin A and beta-carotene, vital for healthy eyes, skin and tissue, vitamin B9, necessary for cell growth, and therefore during periods of growth or tissue renewal.
What is about portions...?
-a child portion: one fistful
-an adult portion: two fistfuls
Cooking and nutrition: tasty combinations
-Steamed lettuce with garden peas, which it complements with its slight tanginess after cooking. An ideal accompaniment to pigeon and poultry in general. Vitamins guaranteed.
-Chives supply provitamin A to complete and contrast with the flavours as a whole.
-A perfect partner - salad and steak : the iron of the beef complements the vitamin B9 (folic acid) in the salad, two substances that are essential to red blood cells. Thanks to its fibre, the salad ensures that the meat is much easier to digest.
