Leafy vegetables are beneficial for health. Among them, lettuce is also a kind of green vegetable. Iceberg lettuce does not have as many nutritional and health benefits as other vegetables but does have some good effects. It is low in calories and does not increase your body weight when consumed. It also contains Vitamin A and Vitamin C which have a lot of beneficial effects. Its leaves are mostly used as a salad. It was first cultivated in Egypt. Traveling from there, the lettuce reached America and then spread throughout the world. Today, the name of lettuce is the second most used vegetable in America. At the same time, it has a huge demand in India as well. We will tell in detail about the benefits of lettuce leaves.

What is Iceberg Salad

The scientific name of lettuce is Lactuca sativa. It is mostly used for breakfast. It is also eaten by mixing it in sandwiches and soups. This green colored lettuce is from the cabbage family. Its leaves are like cabbage leaves. Iceberg lettuce is low in nutrients compared to green vegetables, is not completely ‘waste’ and has few benefits. It was called ‘Crisped Salad’ when it first hit the market in 1945. Later it came to be known as iceberg salad because the vegetable had to be transported from place to place in large trucks covered with snow. It is often included as a major ingredient in any salad.

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Nutritional Value of Iceberg Lettuce

Lettuce is a good source of nutritious elements. Iceberg lettuce is low in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol. However, it is rich in potassium and manganese and also contains iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6 and thiamin.

Iceberg Lettuce Cultivation

This vegetable is generally a cool season crop that requires a long growing season. This crop requires 80-90 days to mature. It requires moist soil and covers the seeds lightly with fine starter soil.

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Lettuce Recipes

Vegetable Salad

For this, cut tomatoes, cucumber, radish, carrot, chili and lettuce leaves. Now put the chopped vegetables in the bowl. Now sprinkle salt, pepper with olive oil and make it more delicious with lemon juice.

Corn and Lettuce Salad

Boil a cup of corn and let it cool. Chop some lettuce leaves, onions and tomatoes. Now mix boiled corn and lettuce leaves, onion and tomato in a bowl. Now make it more delicious by adding salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.

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Health Benefits of Iceberg Salad

Protects Your Heart

Lettuce can be helpful in controlling cholesterol. This can reduce the risk of heart attack manifold. Therefore, lettuce leaves must be used for heart and cholesterol. Iceberg lettuce also contains essential nutrients that help prevent hardening of the arteries while the fiber in this vegetable regulates the rate of blood flow to the heart.

Helps to strengthen the body’s immunity

Iceberg lettuce contains essential minerals like manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium which help in strengthening the immunity of our body. These mineral compounds work against harmful free radicals in our body and protect against viral infections and related diseases.

Helps Prevent Anemia

Iceberg lettuce is rich in iron which helps in making red blood cells. Iron also helps in transporting oxygen to different parts of our body. The presence of optimum number of red blood cells in our body is essential for the prevention of anemia.

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Helps with Digestion

The amount of fiber in iceberg salad is sufficient. Iceberg lettuce helps in digestion of food. It helps to break down heavy carbohydrates and proteins and enables your stomach to function properly. Thus it allows smooth functioning of the intestines and helps in curing constipation and acid reflux. If the digestive system gets spoiled, the stomach gets upset and if the stomach gets upset, then the health also deteriorates. In such a situation, lettuce leaves can be helpful in increasing the digestive capacity.

As an Antidote

Due to weak immunity, the body becomes surrounded by many diseases. You can rely on lettuce leaves to do it better. It contains sufficient amount of vitamin-C and vitamin-C can increase immunity.

Helps to cure Insomnia

In Unani medicine, it was used as a sleeping medicine. Iceberg Salad relaxes the eyes and body and helps you get a sound sleep. Thus, it may prove beneficial for people with insomnia to include this vegetable in their diet.

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Nourishes body Cells

Iceberg lettuce helps to nourish the cells of the body by maintaining the fluid balance in the cells. This vegetable contains potassium which is one of the most important components in the body’s cell fluids and helps maintain the fluid movement of the cells.

helps in clotting of blood

Vitamin K helps in the production of proteins that are needed by the body for normal clotting of blood. Iceberg lettuce, which is rich in vitamin K, thus helps in blood clotting.

Iceberg Salad Side Effects & Allergies

Iceberg lettuce is mostly made of water, it can harm your health only if you consume too much of it. Excessive consumption of this vegetable can lead to carotenodermia as it contains beta-carotene. However, iceberg lettuce contains a high percentage of pesticide residues which are very harmful to our health.

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