KITLIVINGLIVING
Advances in farming mean that a wider
variety of salads are now grown and
supplied with better yields from around
Europe. The name lettuce is derived from
the Latin word Latucca, which refers to
the vegetable's milky sap and it is believed
that the Romans introduced it to Britain
and the word salad comes from the
Latin word herba salta (salted herbs, so
called because such greens were usually
seasoned with dressings containing lots
of salt).
Iceberg was given its name as a result
of the leaf being developed in America
and being packed with ice so as to
survive transport in warm temperatures. In
the late 1980s and early 1990s, lettuces
known as 'continental' or 'specialty', such
as Batavia, Lollo Rosso and Romaine,
began to be grown here after being
introduced from Europe. In the late 1990s
baby leaf and further specialty leaves such
as rocket were grown in the UK.
Lettuce was first eaten by the ancient
kings of Persia 2,500 years ago. The
ancient Greeks and Romans thought it
helped you to have a good night's sleep,
and the lettuce we see today started out
as a weed around the Mediterranean
basin. In ancient Egypt, lettuce was
believed to be sacred to the fertility god
Min and considered to be a powerful
aphrodisiac. The first representation of
salad appeared in paintings on Egyptian
tombs in 4500 BC.
Colour coded
Many of the health benefits that leafy
salads provide come from unique plant
compounds known as phytochemicals
(also called phytonutrients). These are
chemical compounds that are considered
to be beneficial to human health. For
example Romaine/Cos and spinach
contain lutein, while watercress and
rocket contain glucosinolates.
Salad leaves are classified as
vegetables and one cereal/dessert bowl
full, or 80g of salad leaves, counts as
MAKING CARBS COUNT
one portion of your '5 a day'. We are
encouraged to 'eat a rainbow' of fruit
and vegetables for variety and to ensure
we get all the nutrients we need to stay
healthy. Salad leaves are ideal, ranging
in colour from red through to dark green.
Generally the darker or more coloured
a leaf, the more phytonutrients it may
contain.
Energy density is the amount of
energy or calories in a particular weight of
food (kcal per gram). Foods with a lower
energy density provide fewer calories per
gram than foods with a higher energy
density. For the same amount of calories,
a person can consume a larger portion of
a food lower in energy density than a food
higher in energy density.
As a low-energy dense food, salad
leaves can help with weight loss and
appetite. In one study participants were
given a standard lunch on different
occasions, each time with either a
first-course salad or with no salad (1).
Participants consumed fewer calories
when the meal started with the lowerenergy-dense salad
and they reported
feeling just as full as participants who had
no first-course salad but had eaten more
of the main course, or had a salad that
was higher in energy density.
Salad leaves are a low energy dense
food, providing on average only 11kcal
per portion or 14kcal per 100g and are
naturally low in calories, fat and sodium.
Lettuce is also high in fibre. This means
you can enjoy large servings without
having to worry about the calories,
but just watch what you're adding as
dressings and toppings can add calories,
fat and salt.
Research has highlighted how
different nutrients and phytochemicals
('phyto' meaning plant), including different
carotenoids, work best as a team. For
example, vitamins C and vitamin E,
which also have an antioxidant role, help
enhance the benefits of phytochemicals
too. This is one very important reason
Lettuce is a source of vitamin A, folic acid
and manganese, and a good source of
vitamin K. Rocket is a source of vitamin
C and calcium, and a good source of
vitamin K, folic acid and potassium. Red
leaf lettuce is a good source of vitamin
A and vitamin K. Spinach is a source
of potassium, calcium and iron, and a
good source of vitamin A, vitamin K,
vitamin C and manganese. Watercress is
a source of folic acid, chloride, calcium
and iron and a good source of vitamin
A (as carotenes), vitamin K, vitamin
C and manganese. Many of these are
important for a healthy immune system,
a healthy heart and circulation, bones
and healthy skin. As different leaves
offer different nutrients, eating a wide
variety of mixed leaves is a good idea.
Nutritional content of
a variety of lettuce
continued over
why eating a variety of different fruit and
vegetables is so beneficial to our health.
It may also help to explain why regularly
eating nutrient-packed green leafy
vegetables, has been strongly linked with
maintaining good health.
Information from:
www.makemoreofsalad.com
1. Rolls BJ, Roe LS, Meengs JS. Salad and
satiety: energy density and portion size of a
first course salad affect energy intake at lunch.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
2004;104:1570-1576.