We all know the lettuce and the different types that there are, but today we refer to the classic lettuce, which is elongated with crisp green leaves. We are going to know everything about it, from its nutritional values to the contraindications, that is, who can not eat lettuce or what happens if we eat too much.
Lettuce is a cheap and versatile vegetable, so much so that, if we don’t have a plate, a lettuce leaf can serve as a plate or a pancake that we can fill. In this way we get an even healthier dish.
This vegetable is widely consumed throughout the world, but even so, hardly anyone knows why it is so important. what it brings and what beneficial properties you have. Also, can everyone really eat lettuce without anything happening?
Nutritional values per 100 grams of lettuce
Lettuce is very nutritious, especially it is refreshing and has a multitude of benefits that we will tell about a few sections later. But before getting to its properties and knowing why it is so necessary, we are going to find out about its nutritional values.
We are going to take as a reference the 100 grams which, as we have already explained on many occasions, is a standardized measure in Spain to show the nutritional information of a food and to be able to calculate the daily amounts and others.
Lettuce only has 13 kilocalories , 2.2 grams of carbohydrates, no sugar, no trace of salt, unless we season it, 1.1 grams of fiber, 1.35 grams of protein and almost 96% of a leaf of lettuce is water.
But its nutritional values do not stop here, but it also has vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin A reaches 110% of the recommended daily amount, vitamin C, b9 (folic acid) and vitamin K that reaches 128% of the Recommended daily allowance.
With regard to minerals, we have calcium in a good amount (35 mg), iron, Potassium, Magnesium, phosphorus and sodium. They are very important minerals for the body, and we will understand that later.
Daily amount and how to add it to the diet
So far we have seen that lettuce is very healthy that it has many important vitamins and key minerals, but no matter how healthy something is, it is not convenient to abuse it, since that can be counterproductive which is what always happens. This is because an excess of vitamins or minerals can lead to dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, sores, stomach or liver problems, irritability, headache, etc.
This is why we want to focus on the issue of the maximum daily amount and according to the experts each day we should eat between 50 and 80 grams (between 2 and 4 lettuce leaves) , being able to eat up to 100 grams. But be careful with the amounts, since an excess of vitamin A has its consequences.
If we believe that with lettuce we can only make salads, we give you other ideas so that each day is different and we can enjoy this vegetable. For example, rolls, strips and wraps using a lettuce leaf, grated in salads or fillings for sandwiches, creams, gratin buds, use the lettuce leaf for sushi, instead of seaweed, etc.
These are the benefits of eating lettuce daily
This simple vegetable has many benefits and that is thanks to its vitamins and minerals that work hand in hand to give us a few essential properties so that everything works as it should.
Facilitates a night’s rest
If we have some kind of problem falling asleep, for example, a time of stress, having lettuce for dinner can be beneficial, but it should be a light dinner without extra fats or heavy ingredients such as fried bacon, or sauces, with little vinegar and salt.
This is because lettuce contains lactucarium and this agent acts as a calming agent for the nervous system . Hence, a certain amount of lettuce, without other activating elements, can promote rest. We mean not dining with sodas that have caffeine, for example.
It is satiating and perfect for diets
If we want to lose weight, lettuce is one of the best allies due to its satiating action. This is why when consuming it we will have a feeling of full stomach much faster than if we do not eat it. This will prevent us from biting between meals, thus reducing the chances of being overweight.
This vegetable is usually the star in many diets where there is a low caloric intake and we have already seen why in the previous section. 100 grams of lettuce provides hardly any calories, has no fat and is all water. The latter is essential, as it refreshes the body naturally.
Regulates blood sugar and is good for asthma
The perfect vegetable for diabetics and it is thanks to its hypoglycemic properties , that is, it helps reduce blood sugar. It should be said that before consuming it, we must ask our doctor, since, depending on our clinical case, it may not be a good option, although it also depends a lot on how we eat the lettuce.
This vegetable is also beneficial for asthmatic patients and even manages to reduce cough, mucus and bronchitis, but we return to the same thing, we must consult it before with a doctor who knows our case.
Stimulates the kidneys
Lettuce favors the normal functioning of the kidneys, although this can be somewhat counterproductive and that is why we will explain it later. This vegetable favors the cleaning of fluids and toxins from the body thanks to the diuretic effect, thus preventing kidney stones, hypertension, obesity and even possible cancers thanks to beta-carotenes, especially lung and colon cancer.
Contraindications of eating lettuce
It is true that this vegetable has hardly any adverse effects on our health, except in exceptional cases such as allergies. What it does have are counterproductive circumstances, and that is that a lettuce is a carrier of infections by bacteria such as salmonella . That is, if it is not well cleaned or treated we can get infected and if we are pregnant the risk increases fivefold, and we can lose the baby.
Another contraindication is the diuretic action, and that is, if we have kidney problems, it is not recommended, since it could cause an over-exertion of the kidneys and that is not good.
