How useful are lettuce leaves

Lettuce leaves began to grow 5000 years ago, but before people did not even think about their useful and taste qualities. This plant was cultivated exclusively for the extraction of oil, which is contained in their seeds. This continued until the ancient Romans and Greeks did not eat salad leaves.

After that, the green plant began to be widely used in the agricultural industry all over the world. On the ground there are more than 100 kinds of salad leaves, different colors and shapes - they all have medicinal properties and amazing taste.

This product has almost no calories, so it is recommended as a dietary dish. Eat it better in combination with other vegetables, because the leaves themselves will not give satiety to the body.

Salad leaves: benefit

Salad leaves are rich in vitamin C (100 grams of grass contains up to 55 mg), carotene and zeaxanthin, all these substances are necessary to preserve our vision and protect against Alzheimer's disease. In the vegetable there is also folic acid, which contributes to the normal functioning of the reproductive function and vitamin K, responsible for the coagulability of the blood.

Salad leaves contain up to 3% of vegetable proteins and minerals (sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, magnesium), which we need for the proper operation of our body.

The most common for us is lettuce, in Russia, grow three varieties of this variety: leaf, head and Roman (romen). Leaf is considered to be the earliest, with one hectare of land, sometimes up to 100 tons of harvest.

Headed more than a few times, and Roman (roman) - four times, only the Roman ripens much later - by the autumn. If the storage conditions are correct, oblong heads can remain fresh until the winter.

Leaves of lettuce lettuce are added to any dish of piquant bitterness and delicate raisin. Grass really perfectly emphasizes the taste of the rest of the foods and fuels appetite. The substance in it called lactucine has a beneficial effect on nerve endings, it also strengthens the walls of the vessels, restores digestion and relieves insomnia.

It should be noted that much more lactucine is contained in the salad cob and veins there are concentrated and other useful substances. And in the inner leaves of the head there are protein substances and sugars. But in the outer leaves more carotene and vitamin C.

Another bright representative of the green grass is Rukkola - the salad has a spicy taste and is highly valued for the abundance of minerals and carotenoids. No less popular Iceberg salad is the only variety that resembles cabbage, but it is much more tender and watery. The same crispy taste has a Romano salad, it is appreciated for the abundant sodium content.

For today it is impossible to do without this vegetable in your kitchen. A green plant with spicy spices is an excellent source of vitamins. It is not only easily absorbed by the body and struggles with avitaminosis, but also is a real decoration for any dish. Now you know how salad leaves are useful and will use them more often.

Helpful Hints:

-Green leaves do not cut, they are torn with their hands, in order to preserve all the vitamins and juiciness

-salat with leaves refuel and salt only before serving, otherwise the leaves will wither, become wet and lose flavor

-storage leaves should be in the food film, in the dried state and only in the refrigerator

- Instead of salt they can be savored with lemon juice or garlic

-to make the salad green salad is better to be combined with boiled eggs, cheese, onions, vegetables, nuts. As a dressing, you can use sour cream, olive, mustard sauces.

-this grass is actively used in folk medicine. For example, the juice of the grass caresses the throat, treats cough and anemia. Due to the presence of ascorbic acid, it has an antiscorbutic effect.

- roots are used to get rid of fever. When scabies and allergies use an ointment made from dried grass and seeds.