Health Benefits of Lettuce

What is lettuce?

Lettuce is a common leafy vegetable and its color ranges from yellow to dark green it may sometimes contain some shades of red. It belongs to the daisy family, and it grows all over the world. Lettuce is available in several different varieties, and with good flavours, in addition to its high content of nutrients. It is a main ingredient in various food dishes such as salads, soups, and sandwiches. Romaine lettuce is one of the most common varieties of lettuce. It is also one of the most consumed types of lettuce around the world.

Benefits of lettuce

Nutrients, vitamins and minerals in lettuce

Lettuce leaves contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals with very few calories. It is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and vitamin K. These are important for blood clotting, and contain potassium, which helps to regulate the level of blood pressure, copper, and iron which is important when forming red blood cells and, manganese. Below are some important nutrients available in lettuce;

Important nutrients for heart and circulatory health

Lettuce contains high levels of potassium, which contributes to maintaining heart and circulatory health.

Folate content that can prevent heart complications

This can be done by breaking down the amino acid whose high level in the blood is linked to cardiovascular disease. A 2015 review published in Nutrition Journal indicated that people with folic acid deficiency have an increased level of homocysteine ​​in the blood.

Nutrients useful for lowering blood pressure

Consuming high amounts of potassium is associated with lowering blood pressure.  Potassium is available in large quantities in red lettuce, which in turn reduces blood pressure.

The benefits of lettuce for pregnant women and the fetus

Lettuce is a source of folate that is necessary for a pregnant woman, and it is one of the B vitamins, as folate supports cell division, the formation of DNA and genetic material. A deficiency of this vitamin in pregnant women is associated with pregnancy complications that include low birth weight, or foetal abnormalities such as premature birth. However, it is worth noting that it is important to wash the lettuce properly first to reduce contamination risks.

Benefits of lettuce for slimming

The process of losing weight needs to take a set of steps, as there is no single solution to get rid of excess weight. Eating vegetables in appropriate quantities within meals such as red lettuce.

Benefits of lettuce for diabetics

Turkey lettuce is a vegetable that does not contain large amounts of carbohydrates and calories. Therefore it is suitable for the diet of diabetics to maintain the consumption of carbohydrates according to the appropriate quantities to avoid high blood sugar level.

Medicinal benefits of lettuce oil

Insomnia affects between 20-40% of the elderly per month, and it has been found that lettuce seed oil can help improve sleep. Some suffer from anxiety, and it has been noted that this oil has helped improve their ability to sleep, and this effect may be good for those of old age, who suffer from sleep disorders and anxiety in mild to moderate degrees. In addition, lettuce seed oil has long been used in cases of atherosclerosis but there are no scientific studies confirming this.

The benefits of lettuce for children

It is recommended to provide a variety of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis to children, in addition to being within the appropriate quantities for the child’s age, appetite, and activity level. Lettuce is a vegetable that provides children with the minerals and vitamins necessary for the health of the body, which were mentioned earlier in the article.

Wild lettuce benefits

Wild lettuce extract, or the so-called Lactucarium, helps relieve pain, as it contains both lactucin and lactucopicrin, which affect the central nervous system to produce sedatives and analgesics. Pain, and these compounds are available in high concentrations in plants belonging to the family Asteraceae, such as lettuce, calendula, and chicory. 

Side effects of lettuce

The degree of safety of using lettuce

Most of the lettuce consists of water, so it is difficult to reach large quantities that cause health problems, but it is worth noting that there is a type of lettuce, which is wild lettuce, which is eaten in moderate quantities is probably safe for most people. However, it is eaten in large quantities especially in cases of early harvest, it is often unsafe, and it may cause some symptoms to appear at the time, such as: rapid heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, difficulty breathing, change in vision, and ringing in the ears.

Contraindications to the use of lettuce

Eating lettuce can cause some potential health risks, as lettuce is a leafy vegetable that is at risk of contamination as a result of soil or water contamination used in it, and it includes the following;

Bacterial contamination

Some farming practices sound may increase the risk of contamination of lettuce with bacteria such as salmonella and Escherichia, which was observed spread in 2018 as a result of irrigation water plants contaminated according to the management of food reported medication.

Heavy metal pollution

Lettuce can pull heavy metals from the soil, to be transferred to the human body when eaten, which poses a health risk.