Iceberg Lettuce Health Benefits And Nutrition Facts

The Iceberg Lettuce has pale green colour leaves and looks quite similar to that of a cabbage. The other word for this cabbage like vegetable is also called Crisphead lettuce. It has crisp leaves and grows in a spherical head shape. Just like other varieties of lettuce such as; romaine and butterhead iceberg lettuce is much sweeter in taste. The mature iceberg lettuce leaves grows close to about one foot in diameter. This vegetable has extremely great health benefits. The leaves of this kind of lettuce has green colour on the outside and the leaves in the center go from pale to yellow colour and almost white as we see the centre of the head. This vegetable is considered as a wise and economical choice in foods like wraps and sandwiches since it minimizes the risk of spoilage in comparison to other types of lettuce. This vegetable is enjoyed for its mild favour in varieties of cuisines because of its crunchiness.

Nutritional values:

Iceberg lettuce has great nutritional values and it acts as a good source of calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, Vitamin A, C& K. This leafy vegetable also has a lot of water content and helps reduce weight gain.It is considered as one of the best vegetable to eat for people who don’t include enough vegetables in their diet. It has a very mild flavour and a pleasant crunch. This vegetable is packed with folate and it can offer enormous health benefits for you and your family members.

Benefits of Iceberg Lettuce

• It improves blood clotting since this vegetable is packed with vitamin K which has been shown up to improve the health condition for people having issues with regards to blood clots and also helps improve eye because it is rich in vitamin A. Vegetables rich with vitamin A helps to improve eye sight and eye related diseases. Iceberg lettuce also has another major nutritional value which is good at fetal development for pregnant ladies. Folic acid is another compound found in iceberg lettuce. It also helps women aspiring to conceive a baby.
• It is said by the nutritional experts that 1 cup of shredded iceberg lettuce contains 10 calories, 0 fat, cholesterol and other useful compounds like the less carbohydrates, fiber, less sugar and protein which is good for maintaining a good and healthy lifestyle.
• Although this vegetable has multiple health benefits, it is advisable to add other minerals and vitamin rich vegetables along with the iceberg lettuce as this vegetable is considered have lesser nutritional values when compared with other green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard and watercress.

How to grow iceberg Lettuce:

The seeds can be directly sown in the ground as soon as the soil is fertile for growing this vegetable. The suitable time for this kind of plant is during the spring season. These can also be started indoors within 4 to 8 weeks before transplanting it outdoors. Growing this plant is as similar as growing any other form of lettuce. It is estimated that it takes 60 to 90 days for the lettuce plant to be for the harvest, but the exact number of days may vary based on the soil condition and climatic conditions. This type of lettuce tends to bolt sooner or the leaves will wilt during hot weather, so it is advisable to plant spring crops as early as possible. To grow these leaves during summer a partially shaded location must be chosen indoors or a location that is primarily towards the east side exposure, this is potentially done to mitigate lesser heat upon the lettuce.
This type of lettuce can tolerate any kind of soil, but the best form of soil for growing iceberg lettuce is soil which is well-drained, cool and loose soil. The soil must contain a lot of moisture and balanced pH levels ranging from 6.2 to 6.8. Since this soil is sensitive to low pH levels. In order to have tender and smooth growth it is advised to maintain the pH level to at least 6.0.

Storage:

Store an entire lettuce in a damp paper towel and sealed in a plastic zipper bag. The leaves of lettuce will absorb all the moisture from the damp towel and you can replace if the leaves become soggy. Iceberg lettuce must be kept for four to five days before it begins to wilt.
For lettuce that is already cut, wash it thoroughly and remove all the spoiled leaves. Dry the leaves using a salad spinner or allow it to dry using dry paper towels. Later, wrap it in a dry paper towel and store it in an air tight container or in a plastic zipper bag. Replace the towel if it gets saturated due to the moisture. Remove any leaves that have got wilted in order to keep them as fresh as possible.

Organic iceberg lettuce:

Organic iceberg lettuce is good for health and considered good for the environment too. These are widely used in Mexican, Italian cuisines and majorly used in salads in various ways. These are also steamed, braised and cooked further in various dishes. Organic iceberg lettuce is hand-selected for its quality purpose.

Different types of Lettuce:

• Leaf Lettuce: These are of 3 types red, green and oak.
• Romaine Lettuce: These are long, slightly bitter in taste.
• Iceberg Lettuce: These are crisp, but not as flavourful as other types of lettuce.
• Boston lettuce: These are 2 types butterhead and bibb, the Boston variety are small, round and loosely formed with supple leaves.
• Kale: These are not typically lettuce, but contain all the required vitamins, minerals, calcium and iron.
• Arugula: These are also called rocket or Italian cress; these are greatly used as dressing salads and variety of cuisines because of its lemony flavour.
• Spinach: These are packed with powerful and heart- healthy qualities that can improve the risk of chronic diseases.
• Radicchio: These are purple coloured and are of 2 types’ leaf chicory and Italian Chicory.
• Endives: These are spoon shaped leaves with easy scoop up toppings.
• Frisee: These belong to radicchio/endive/Chicory family.