Lettuce Explain
Iceberg, romaine, leaf, butterhead…. Lettuce can be confusing! They’re not all the same, but they’re all good for you; just in varying degrees.
“Lettuce” break it down for you.
Iceberg: This is the most popular type of lettuce and most easily recognized. It has light green leaves and has less nutritional value than dark-leaf lettuces.
Butterhead: This type of lettuce has a small, loose head with mild-flavored leaves. It’s a great source of vitamins A and K.
Romaine: You’ll recognize this one by its long cylindrical head. It has large, crisp outer leaves. It’s most often used in Caesar salads and has a slightly bitter taste. It contains almost a whole day’s worth of vitamin A.
Leaf Lettuce: This lettuce is noted by its crisp, curly-edged leaves that branch out from a stem. There are both green and red leaf varieties. Leaf lettuce contains a lot of vitamins A, C and K.
Radicchio: This one looks a lot like an iceberg head, only it has crisp, red leaves. It’s often eaten raw in salads, and is a great source of vitamins C and K.
Published 05/27/09
