There are many varieties of garden salads, they are always offered fresh, are usually nice and crunchy and make you full without being heavy in the stomach. Garden salads include, for example, head lettuce, iceberg lettuce, oak leaf lettuce, and romaine lettuce, as well as lollo bianco and lollo rosso. Garden lettuces are also called leafy greens, so they can be eaten raw or heated. Seasonal outdoor offerings should generally be preferred because their delicate constituents are still most complete then.
Here’s what you should know about garden lettuce.
The seasonal outdoor offerings of garden lettuce should generally be preferred because their sensitive ingredients are still most complete then. Botanically, garden lettuce belongs to the composite family. The most commonly eaten and most widely produced is the old familiar head lettuce, also called “butter lettuce”. As a so-called country plant, it is grown in spring, fall and winter so that it can form its small, basket-shaped flowers from June to August. However, it is usually harvested long before it blooms, because when it “shoots” it grows pyramid-shaped, loses its head shape and becomes unpleasantly bitter for consumption. Therefore, for summer production, mostly day-neutral varieties are taken, which, despite long summer days, do not go into bloom and thus form the typical head of lettuce. Already in ancient times, many variations of garden lettuce were cultivated. From Egypt, it spread through the Roman and Greek worlds. The first relief records show that it was already known 4,500 years ago. Garden lettuce was cultivated from the wild growing lettuce in the Caucasus. It was not until the Middle Ages that it was spread to Central Europe by Charlemagne, where it was initially consumed only cooked. Today, garden lettuce is produced worldwide. The main areas of cultivation and the main producers in Europe are mainly Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Germany. Garden lettuce is produced in the open field, in the greenhouse or as tunnel cultivation, thus it can be obtained fresh all year round. However, it is best to enjoy outdoor lettuces, because they contain the most good nutrients. In summer, garden lettuces belonging to the lactuca or lettuce group, such as iceberg lettuce, head lettuce, and batavia lettuce, are in season outdoors. Because these three form a fairly firm head, all three are usually referred to as head lettuces. In lettuces of the lettuce group, a milky juice comes out when the stalk and leaves are cut. A special breed of head lettuce is the larger iceberg lettuce. It has quickly established itself and found many fans because it is always crunchy and keeps fresh longer. Its fleshy, juicy leaves vary from yellow to dark green – and now there are also red varieties. Lettuce has long been available not only in green, but also as a red variety. It contains no bitter substances and has a shorter shelf life. With its neutral taste, it can be prepared in many ways. Batavia lettuce is a hybrid of lettuce and iceberg lettuce. Its taste is spicier than lettuce and iceberg lettuce. Its curly leaves vary by variety and season with yellowish, green, reddish brown or green with reddish edges. In late summer and fall, the classic endive or frisée lettuce, with their tart and aromatic flavor, are on sale. From May to October, varieties such as oak leaf lettuce, coleslaw, frillice, lollo rossa and lollo bionda, with their tasty, curly leaves, are still on offer from the open field. In the winter months, crosses of Batavia and oak leaf, as well as crosses of lettuce and romaine or ice-crape lettuce are offered from the greenhouse. Since these varieties do not form heads, but grow as individual leaves from rosettes, they are called pick and cut lettuces. These are old terms from the days of self-harvesting, when just enough leaves were harvested to make a meal, because the leaves grow back twice more after the first cut. Freshly harvested garden lettuces, of course, offer a special taste experience. With their crisp ribs and tender leaves on them, they have a nutty mild flavor.
Importance for health
In the green leaves of garden lettuce are many healthy phytochemicals, which, among other things, reduce the risk of diabetes. In the red leaves are more anthocyanins as secondary plant compounds, they belong to the flavonoids and are cancer preventive.Garden lettuce provides the body with an abundance of secondary plant compounds such as flavonoids, phytosterols, polyphenols and carotenoids, which prevent cardiovascular diseases. It is considered certain that the secondary compounds have a positive influence on health, because they have been proven to protect against arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. Even though garden lettuce consists of more than 90 percent water, there is still enough room for the amount of vitamins the body needs. Folic acid is contained in garden lettuce in a fairly high concentration. It is important for cell division and blood formation, as is the precursor of vitamin A, beta carotene, which protects against skin aging and is important for the eyes. To provide the body with the full nutrients, garden salads are best eaten in the months when they are in season, because the health benefits are much higher the fresher the leaves are. In spring it is batavia and all green lettuces, lettuce is available from open field cultivation from May to November. In the cold season, for example, it is varieties such as chicory, lamb’s lettuce, or radicchio, which are considered particularly rich in vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients and nutritional values
| Nutritional information |
Amount per 100 gram |
| Calories 15 | Fat content 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol 0 mg |
Sodium 28 mg |
| Potassium 194 mg | Carbohydrates 2.9 g |
| Dietary fiber 1.3 g |
Protein 1.4 g |
Garden lettuce, in addition to its high content of water, also contains carbohydrates, proteins, fat, minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. Also, the blood-forming trace element iron, as well as vitamins pro-vitamin A to maintain normal vision, plenty of vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin E and niacin. The darker the leaves are in color, the more ingredients they have. Most types of garden lettuce have a very low energy content, per 100 grams they have just 15 to 20 kilocalories. The dietary fiber contained in the lettuce swells in the intestine, thus saturating sufficiently and having a positive effect on digestion. To purify the body, its relatively high potassium content and low sodium content also contributes positively.
Intolerances and allergies
Garden salads are vital substance bombs, but people with sensitive digestive systems should not consume any after about 4 pm. Painful gases can develop in the stomach and intestines from fermentation of proteins and carbohydrates. Body heat promotes this process, and a distended gas belly with an uncomfortable feeling of fullness is the consequence.
Shopping and kitchen tips
Garden lettuce should be purchased or harvested only as needed, because it wilts quickly and breaks down much of its valuable ingredients within a short time. The stalk should look fresh and bright, dark cut surfaces show that it is not fresh. The leaves should not droop; they should look juicy and crisp. It will keep fresh for a few days in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator without losing its nutrients. Cut or partially defoliated, it is best stored wrapped in a plastic container or damp cloth.
Preparation tips
Garden salad harmonizes ideally with a vinaigrette or a yogurt dressing. It also combines wonderfully with eggs, poultry, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions or avocado. It is also excellent as a main dish with ingredients such as fish, meat or vegetables.
