The benefits of lettuce: aesthetic, health, and more
Lettuce is one of the famous leafy vegetables that are light on the stomach and great for their benefits to the body and skin. What are the benefits of lettuce?
The benefits of lettuce for the body
These are the many benefits of lettuce for the body:
Lettuce is a low-calorie source and almost does not contain any fat. A hundred grams of fresh lettuce leaves have no more than 14 calories and a fat percentage of 0.14 grams.
For this reason, lettuce is an ideal food for those who aspire to lose or control weight, as well as being a rich source of dietary fiber that contributes to increasing the feeling of satiety and reducing the amount of food eaten during the day.
2. Promote heart health and lower cholesterol
Lettuce helps in promoting the health of the heart and arteries in several ways, which can be summarized in the following points:
Eating lettuce helps reduce harmful cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol in the body, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease.Lettuce is a source of beneficial and unsaturated fatty acids, such as Omega-3, which promotes cardiovascular health.
Lettuce is rich in powerful antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene, which prevent oxidation and fight infections.
3. Promote digestive health
Since lettuce is rich in dietary fiber, it helps promote the health of the digestive system and digestion process, improves bowel movement and balances its environment, and avoids other digestive diseases, such as constipation and bloating.
4. Help treat sleep disorders and insomnia
The liquid substance in lettuce is called lactucarium, which you may notice when you bite the lettuce leaves, and it is what gives lettuce its ability to treat sleep disorders and insomnia, for which lettuce has been famous since ancient times.
Lettuce is a relaxing vegetable as well.
5. Maintain an alkaline body environment
Lettuce is one of the most famous alkaline foods. It helps maintain the balance of the acid and alkaline environment. It also helps to remove toxins from the body, making it a food that helps clear the mind and promotes the process of thinking, relaxation, deep sleep, and clear skin.
6. Diabetic friendly food
The glycemic index of lettuce is low, which makes it an ideal food for a diabetic, as well as being low in carbohydrates, calories and fat, and high in dietary fiber.
7. Boost immunity
Lettuce is rich in antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C, so it helps to boost immunity, fight infections, and promote healthy skin, which is the first line of defense for the body.
Eating lettuce also helps in promoting proper digestion and absorption of nutrients in the intestines, which strengthens the defense process against the presence and reproduction of harmful bacteria.
It is known that taking sources of vitamin C greatly helps in preventing colds and flu and relieving their symptoms.
8. Cancer prevention
Studies have shown that the green chlorophyll pigment found in leafy vegetables such as lettuce may contribute to reducing the risk of some cancers, such as colon cancer, and eating a diet poor in green leafy vegetables may be associated with an increased risk of cancer.
Lettuce also contains antioxidants, vitamins A and C that contribute to controlling cancer cells and preventing their spread in the body, and protecting cells and DNA from damage, and a diet high in antioxidants has been associated with a reduced risk of lung, skin, and prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer.
9. Promote bone health and strength
Lettuce, like other leafy vegetables, is a source of vitamin K, which is very important and necessary for building bones, increasing their density, and preventing fragility. It is also known that this vitamin plays a vital role in blood clotting, healing wounds and bruises, and the prevention of many diseases.
In addition, the calcium content of lettuce, known for its essential role in maintaining a healthy skeleton, makes eating lettuce a major role in strengthening and strengthening the bones.
10. Promote eye health and vision
The antioxidants contained in lettuce, especially vitamin A and vitamin C, help maintain eye health and protect it from disorders, and a deficiency in any of them may lead to corneal thickening, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.
So eating lettuce and other sources of these vitamins may help you be less likely to have any of these problems, especially with age.
Lettuce benefits for skin
These are the many benefits of lettuce for the skin:
Eating lettuce helps promote skin health vitamin A in high amounts is necessary for skin health, and a deficiency of this vitamin in the body leads to skin problems.
Also, beta-carotene and vitamin A in general help prevent signs of aging, wrinkles, and fine lines on the face.
2. Helping cell regeneration
As for the lettuce content of vitamin C, it contributes when eaten to the regeneration of cells and protects them from damage, which helps in the prevention of skin cancer, which is responsible for building collagen in the skin, and is necessary to maintain the elasticity and health of the skin, and helps heal wounds.
3. Acne protection
Lettuce contains anti-inflammatory and nutrients that help prevent acne and skin problems, such as antioxidants, potassium, and B-complex vitamins.
Also, the low glycemic index of lettuce helps in the prevention of pimples and skin pimples.
4. Sun protection
Lettuce contains a good proportion of vitamin C and vitamin E, which helps maintain the health of the skin and protects it from ultraviolet rays and sunlight.
5. Detoxify and improve sleep
Eating lettuce has a great role in removing toxins from the body and skin in particular.
The iron content of lettuce promotes the building and functioning of hemoglobin in the body, which increases the radiance and glow of the skin.
Also, lettuce is a great source of potassium that improves sleep quality, and this of course will help in resting the body and skin in particular.
Benefits of lettuce for hair
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, many hair disorders and problems may be due to nutritional deficiencies, and not eating some elements in sufficient quantities, especially iron, zinc, and vitamins A and C.
Lettuce also provides you with many very important minerals for maintaining healthy skin, nails, and hair. It contains phosphorous, silicon, and an adequate amount of sulfur to meet all your body's needs.
To get the greatest benefit and is a noticeable time, you can eat a mixture of lettuce, watercress, spinach, orange, and carrot juice daily.
Benefits of lettuce for pregnant women
Eating lettuce helps maintain the health of a pregnant woman, as it is a source of many valuable phytonutrients, and its benefits for pregnant women include:
The lettuce content of dietary fiber contributes to the promotion of digestion and the prevention of constipation.
Eating potassium-rich lettuce helps you relax and promotes deep sleep.
Eating lettuce helps prevent infections and microbial infections that you may be susceptible to during pregnancy.
Eating lettuce promotes the regulation of cholesterol levels thanks to its high content of fiber and antioxidants.
Its potassium content helps in regulating blood pressure levels and protects you from the risk of heart disease and strokes.
Lettuce contributes to preventing cancer, especially breast cancer and leukemia, so consuming it in your diet will have great effects on your body in the future.
Eating lettuce helps reduce stress and anxiety due to its calming effects and high potassium content.
Contributes to maintaining neurons and protecting them from the risk of death or the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.
You can eat many dishes containing lettuce during pregnancy, but you must pay attention and wash it well to avoid contaminated lettuce leaves that may infect you with serious diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, or listeria.
The nutritional value of lettuce
Lettuce is characterized by being a high source of many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, the most famous of which are folate, calcium, and vitamin A, in addition to its high content of dietary fiber and water, which is distinguished by its low calories and fat.
Here is what 100 grams of fresh lettuce contains, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) website:
| energy | 14 calories |
| carbohydrates | 2.92 g |
| Protein | 1.13 g |
| Fats | 0.14 g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.2 g |
| Vitamin A | 198 mcg |
| vitamin C | 6 milligrams |
| Vitamin K | 75.2 mcg |
| folate | 34 mcg |
| Iron | 0.64 milligrams |
| Calcium | 27 milligrams |
| potassium | 168 milligrams |
| Sodium | 19 milligrams |
Recommendations about eating lettuce
There are no specific recommendations about the daily allowed daily intake of lettuce, as it does not have any clear and negative side effects on health.
But it is generally recommended to regulate its intake and calculate its portions within the portions of vegetables allowed to be eaten daily.
It is usually recommended to wash the lettuce well before eating it, as lettuce is one of the most susceptible agricultural crops to contamination with fertilizers, dust, or microbes.
Heart patients and those taking anticoagulant medications are advised in moderation when eating lettuce, as its vitamin K content may interfere with the mechanism of action of these medications.