LETTUCE
LETTUCE
Introduction
Origin
Properties
Consumption
Conservation
Introduction
Also called Spanish lettuce or Cos lettuce, it is a variety with a long head, robust and elongated leaves, and a wide, upright and fibrous trunk. Its leaves are dark green and are grouped around the trunk, without forming a true bud. Unlike other lettuces, the Romaine variety withstands heat better.
Origin
Its origins are not fully clarified. While some sources place it in India, others place it in parts of Eurasia and North America. Its cultivation dates back more than 2,500 years. Persians, Greeks and Romans already consumed lettuce. The first lettuces were loose leaf, while those with a head did not enter Europe until the 16th century. Today, lettuce is grown in temperate zones around the world, as well as in greenhouses.
Properties
The fact that a large part of its content is water, as well as the low amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fats it contains, make lettuce a food with a low caloric content, which makes it an ideal food for those people who follow a diet to lose weight. With regard to vitamins, it is worth mentioning beta-carotene, vitamins of type C and E, which give it antioxidant properties, among others, as well as folates, which help improve the defense system by intervening in the production of blood cells. red and white. Finally, and in relation to minerals, it has a good amount of potassium, which has a diuretic effect, and iron, as well as magnesium and calcium to a lesser extent. Both minerals and vitamins in lettuce are concentrated in the outermost areas of it. Finally, comment that various studies attribute to lettuce, thanks to the presence of latex in its composition, properties that promote sleep and sedation.
Consumption
The flavor of the Romana variety is slightly bitter, which is why it is usually used in salads, especially in the so-called Caesar. A perfect combination of salad would be that of Romaine lettuce, together with the oak leaf, the lollo rosso, and other additional ingredients to accompany the taste. The result is a really tasty and visually appealing salad. Its consumption must be preceded by a careful washing of it.
Conservation
It must be preserved without having been washed. It should not be covered with any protective element, so it can be kept in the fridge for about a week.
Availability period
National International
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Varieties
Cos, Romana
Availability period
National International
JanFebMarAprMayJun
JulAugSepOctNovDec
Nutritional and energetic values for 100 gr.
Nutritional and energetic values for 100 gr.