Iceberg lettuce: useful properties and contraindications

Iceberg lettuce is a low-calorie product with a pleasant taste. Even those who are on the strictest diet are happy to eat it.

The origin of the name of the product is interesting. It began to be grown in California. In order to deliver it to other states fresh and firm, the cabbage was encased in ice during transportation. Hence the witty name of the vegetable: iceberg.

What does iceberg lettuce look like

Iceberg lettuce is an ancient vegetable crop. It is a variety of lettuce, which has smaller and curlier leaves. In appearance, it bears a resemblance to white cabbage. It is characterized by the same round shape of the cauliflower, belongs to the cruciferous, but is a leafy lettuce. The light green leaves are not as tightly packed together as in cabbage, so they separate easily. If the leaves are difficult to separate, then the salad is considered overripe. Its taste is disturbed. He may be slightly bitter.

Composition and calories

This product contains a large amount of water - about 90%, and the caloric content is one of the lowest - about 14 kcal. But this vegetable is unusually rich in useful vitamins. This is certainly worth keeping in mind for those who want to lose weight.

Feel free to include this salad in your diet. It contains almost all the B vitamins, except for B12. The fiber found in the product supports good digestion. Choline, a B vitamin, is almost not produced by our own bodies, but is present in abundance in the salad. It plays a crucial role in the complex workings of our brain, nervous system and liver. It also effectively protects cells from aging and destruction.

Beta-carotene is also found in ample amounts in this vegetable. It normalizes the activity of many body systems. It increases immunity, improves vision, and is an excellent preventative against cataracts and glaucoma.

The plant has folic acid, phosphorus, potassium, as well as magnesium and sodium. Copper and calcium are also present. This is a must-have product for those who limit themselves in their diet.

The abundance of these nutrients in this product makes the iceberg truly unique and absolutely necessary in the diet of every family member, regardless of age.

What are the benefits of iceberg lettuce

It is difficult to list all the unique benefits of this product without forgetting or omitting anything. There are a lot of them, and all of them are certainly necessary and useful for the normal functioning of our body systems.

The undoubted advantage of this salad in the richest composition of all its constituent elements. It contains almost all the vitamins of the B group. With 58 percent protein in the product, it has only 38 percent carbohydrates and only about 8 percent fat. This ratio of low-calorie and high-protein content is probably not found in any other product. It should also be noted the complete absence of cholesterol in the salad, which is very important for every person who looks after his health.

The salad is famous for the following beneficial properties:

• Strengthens the nervous system.
• Normalizes mental activity.
• Improves intestinal peristalsis and normalizes metabolism.

It is actively used in cosmetology. The vegetable is saturated with substances such as magnesium, which synthesizes so necessary for beautiful and healthy skin collagen. Regular use of this salad will get rid of fine lines and wrinkles, make the skin smooth and give it a shine. It will moisturize any type of skin and support metabolic fat processes. It will take care of hydration of the scalp and get rid of dandruff. It prevents hair loss, makes hair strong, shiny and healthy.

The use of leaves in masks well moisturizes and nourishes the skin. This product also restores damaged hair and nails. It is good to rinse the hair with the juice.

Iceberg lettuce stimulates the production of the necessary hormone of joy - serotonin. It is this hormone that helps to cope with depression. It helps to restore strength when you are emotionally loaded.

Iceberg lettuce and breastfeeding

When breastfeeding, a young mother should be very careful with her diet. It should contain the optimum content of necessary and useful substances for feeding the baby. The food must always be varied, and you need to eat a balanced diet. It should also contain vitamins necessary for normal growth and development of the child. But you should also take into account how this food affects the baby's well-being. Whether the digestive system works properly, whether there are no allergic reactions to any product.

As for iceberg lettuce, we can definitely say that it is just necessary to include it in the diet of breastfeeding mothers.

1. The lettuce does not cause absolutely any manifestations of allergies.
2. It contains vitamin A, which supports vision, health of the skin, plays a special role in enhancing immunity.
3. Contains vitamin E necessary for a person from birth until old age. Maintains normal operation of blood vessels. Regulates blood pressure. Prevents the appearance of life-threatening blood clots in the blood vessels.
4. Has in its chemical composition of vitamin C - otherwise known as ascorbic acid.

Who has not heard of the extraordinary properties of vitamin C! The human body can not produce it itself, and this vitamin is vital. It participates in the formation of collagen, which is so necessary for our joints and skin. Without it, it is impossible to recover from injuries. With the help of vitamin C the body assimilates iron, fights heart attacks.

A lot of women after childbirth put on weight. This salad is better than any other product satiates the body without adding extra pounds. Lose weight without detriment to your health! The salad is easy to digest and normalizes the digestive tract.

For a nursing mother, it is important that this salad increases lactation, which is undoubtedly very important when breastfeeding. The product perfectly saturates the woman's body with important and necessary micronutrients, which avoids avitaminosis. By eliminating excess fluid from the body, it fights swelling.

In the first month of the baby's life, doctors recommend nursing mothers to eat only food that has been thermally processed. It is recommended to introduce lettuce into the diet no sooner than 1 month old. You should eat 1-2 leaves in the morning, no more. Over time, if the child responds well to this product, the portion can be increased. If there is any negative reaction, the intake of this product should be discontinued. Also requires special control of the large amount of oxalic acid in this vegetable. With urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, this acid can provoke the formation of stones.

Therapeutic benefits of iceberg lettuce

1. The role of this salad in normalizing the digestive process of the body is invaluable.
2. Also a special role this vegetable plays in the process of blood renewal.
3. The lactucin present in its chemical composition is a good pain reliever.
4. It is recommended to include iceberg in the diet of people engaged in strenuous mental work, as well as all students. It stimulates brain function.
5. Abundance of B vitamins helps to cope with anemia. It significantly increases the immunity of people who have had serious illnesses.
6. This product is an excellent disinfectant for the mouth, so it can be safely and successfully used to treat stomatitis. Also, lettuce perfectly eliminates bad breath due to stomach diseases or the presence of rotten teeth.

People who are overweight are strongly advised to include iceberg lettuce in their diet. Lettuce leaves contain vitamin K: it helps to stabilize the work of many organs and systems of the human body.

The substances contained in this unique vegetable normalize metabolism, significantly improve eyesight, and restore the normal process of hematopoiesis. The systematic inclusion of this product in the diet helps to combat the stresses of the central nervous system, leads out of depression, cures insomnia, saves from the negative effects of frequent stress. The composition of vitamins and minerals that is contained in the leaves, provides invaluable assistance in normalizing the cardiovascular system, protecting us from heart attacks and strokes. Calcium strengthens tooth enamel and bones.

Beta-carotene - another useful element, which is in sufficient quantities in this product supports vision, strengthens the eye muscles.

The essential folic acid in lettuce leaves makes it a must in the diet of pregnant women and nursing mothers. It ensures the production of enough milk to feed the baby. During pregnancy, it prevents the formation of fetal abnormalities. It is also folic acid that helps to keep the nervous system in tone, which is necessary for students during sessions or people engaged in mental work.

The systematic use of lettuce leaves maintains a normal level of hemoglobin in the blood, removes excess salts from the body. Very useful freshly squeezed juice of lettuce leaves. It is recommended to take it in case of stomach diseases: gastritis and ulcers. Some researchers believe that this vegetable should be used to prevent cancer.

Widely used lettuce leaves and in folk medicine. There are many recipes for various infusions and decoctions. But you should never engage in self-medication. It is always better to consult with your doctor.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the abundance of useful substances that are included in this product, you can not fully rely on it, seeking to lose weight. It would be wrong to eat three meals a day with just this vegetable. Everything needs a reasonable measure.

There are practically no contraindications to the use of this salad. But, although this product does not cause any allergies, some people may be intolerant to greens in raw form, so before you introduce the product to your menu, make sure that you do not have this problem. The only, perhaps, serious concern may be the oxalic acid in its composition. People who suffer from urolithiasis or cholelithiasis, it is better to consult a doctor before taking this product.

It is not recommended to consume lettuce if you have such a disease as gout. You should also not abuse the leaves when gastrointestinal diseases are exacerbated. Although, when the disease is in remission, on the contrary, recommend the product for consumption.

Iceberg lettuce is bitter: why and what to do

Many lovers of this product know that it can be bitter. The main cause of bitterness is a lack of moisture. Simply put, it was not watered enough when it was growing. Also, the fact that it was picked late from the bed can be the cause of bitterness. The leaves have become coarse, and bitterness has appeared in them. If you want to fix the lettuce, get rid of its bitterness, divide it into leaves, cut off the root. Then you need to put everything in a saucepan with salted cold water and add pieces of ice. The bitterness will go away.

There is another recipe to get rid of bitterness. You also need to put in cold water, but add there not salt, but citric acid.

The very bitterness is not a sign of spoilage product, so if you like the taste, feel free to eat these leaves. That said, the bitterness has nothing to do with the quality of the product itself. It even gives some spice to the taste of cooked dishes, which also finds its fans and admirers.

Why does iceberg lettuce turn red on the cut?

Any of the foods that appear on our table from those that are not thermally processed contain active enzymes that are very beneficial to us. Discoloration or reddish-brown spots on the tips of the leaves indicate oxidation or destruction of these living enzymes during storage. This does not mean that the lettuce has gone bad.

The pink tinge on the cut can come from a metal knife. Replace the knife with a ceramic or silicone-coated knife. Better yet, tear it with your hands when cooking. A salad with a reddened cut is quite fit to eat. It does not change its taste and properties.

How to choose and store iceberg lettuce

1. Like any other vegetable, you need to choose this salad first of all by its appearance. It should be flat on all sides, not crumpled, elastic and springy to the touch. If the leaves are very dense and more like cabbage, it means that this harvest was taken very late and it does not have the taste that is needed.
2. The leaves should not fall apart.
3. The weight is a little less than a pound.
4. The leaves are even green in color.
5. Be sure to pay attention to the root. If it is darkened on the cut, you should not take the salad: it is stale.

Iceberg lasts much longer than other leaf salads. In the fridge at a temperature of -2 to +5 degrees it keeps up to 5 days. Some hostesses recommend wrapping lettuce with a wet cloth and putting it in the fridge. So it is possible to significantly increase its shelf life. It should be remembered that the fresh product is firm and crisp, and this is its beauty. If these qualities have changed, it is hardly possible to get full enjoyment from such food.

What to make with iceberg lettuce

There is a lot of water in the leaves of this lettuce. They are juicy, appetizingly crunchy and neutral in taste, so they go well with almost all foods and dressings. It is used only in its raw form, which allows it to retain all the useful elements that make up this product. Leaves can be cut or torn by hand. Depends on what shape and size are needed in the preparation of a particular dish. If cutting salad with a knife, it is better not to use an iron knife, but to take a ceramic one. Then there will be no oxidation, and the cut will not acquire a pinkish hue.

Because of its neutral flavor, iceberg goes well with almost any food. It can be meat (chicken or turkey is best), fish (salted, smoked, dried), seafood, mushrooms and vegetables, even fruits (especially pear, apple, citrus and pineapple). Of the cheeses, cheddar or parmesan are the best to add.

To spice up the salad, add pine nuts, croutons, cherry tomatoes. It's almost impossible to go wrong with the ingredients. Let your imagination fly and create in the kitchen, creating new culinary masterpieces.

Recipe with shrimp and iceberg lettuce

The ingredients in this salad include:

• Iceberg lettuce - 350 g.
• King shrimps - 300 gr.
• Black pitted black olives - 10 units.
• Capers - 30 g.
• Chicken egg - 3 units.
• Sour cream - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash and dry the lettuce leaves.
2. Throw out the root, tear the leaves into large enough pieces.
3. Boil the shrimps.
4. Boil the eggs, cool them down and cut into julienne strips.
5. Cut black olives and capers into slices.
6. Mix and season with sour cream.

The lettuce leaves can be cut or torn with your hands.

Salad with baked pork and pickle

Ingredients needed:

• Iceberg lettuce - 30 g.
• Cold baked pork - 250 gr.
• Salty cucumber - 1-2 pcs.
• Mayonnaise - to taste.
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp.
• Apple - 1 pc.

Preparation:

1. Greens are washed and cut into straws.
2. The meat is cut into slices.
3. The cucumbers must be cut in the form of straws.
4. Apple is cut into thin slices.
5. All ingredients are combined, lemon juice and mayonnaise is added.

Interesting facts about iceberg lettuce

1. The ancient Greeks consumed iceberg every day, believing that it acted as a sleeping pill, painkiller and was able to sober up after drinking wine.
2. In ancient Egypt it was originally grown for its oil and seeds and only much later was it consumed as food.
3. The Americans came up with the original idea of transporting the product over long distances by encasing it in ice. Hence the name of the lettuce also came from here.

The benefits of eating iceberg lettuce are undeniable. It has a very beneficial effect on all the functions and vital systems of the body. It enriches the necessary amount of biologically active nutrients, so important and necessary for health and well-being. It is frankly amazing how in such a seemingly inconsiderable product can contain so many nutrients, and besides this salad is a true record holder for the number of calories in it. It is good to eat as a single leaf and as part of various salads and appetizers. It can be consumed at any age. It does not cause any adverse allergic reactions to anyone.

Photo of iceberg lettuce