Iceberg lettuce is one of the main ingredients in salad preparations and is known for its crunchy texture. It has comparatively fewer nutrients than other greens you commonly find in salads.
Iceberg Lettuce Nutrition
Iceberg lettuce is an excellent source of potassium and manganese. It also contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as small traces of sodium, copper, and zinc. This lettuce is rich in vitamin A, K, C, thiamin, vitamin B6, and folate (vitamin B9). It contains 14 calories per 100 grams. Water and dietary fiber make up most of it. It has a very low content of sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol. [1]
Serving Size : Nutrient Value Water [g] 95.64 Energy 14 Energy [kJ] 58 Protein [g] 0.9 Total lipid (fat) [g] 0.14 Ash [g] 0.36 Carbohydrate, by difference [g] 2.97 Fiber, total dietary [g] 1.2 Sugars, total including NLEA [g] 1.97 Sucrose [g] 0.05 Glucose (dextrose) [g] 0.91 Fructose [g] 1 Calcium, Ca [mg] 18 Iron, Fe [mg] 0.41 Magnesium, Mg [mg] 7 Phosphorus, P [mg] 20 Potassium, K [mg] 141 Sodium, Na [mg] 10 Zinc, Zn [mg] 0.15 Copper, Cu [mg] 0.03 Manganese, Mn [mg] 0.13 Selenium, Se [µg] 0.1 Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid [mg] 2.8 Thiamin [mg] 0.04 Riboflavin [mg] 0.03 Niacin [mg] 0.12 Pantothenic acid [mg] 0.09 Vitamin B-6 [mg] 0.04 Folate, total [µg] 29 Folate, food [µg] 29 Folate, DFE [µg] 29 Choline, total [mg] 6.7 Betaine [mg] 0.1 Vitamin A, RAE [µg] 25 Carotene, beta [µg] 299 Carotene, alpha [µg] 4 Vitamin A, IU [IU] 502 Lutein + zeaxanthin [µg] 277 Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) [mg] 0.18 Tocopherol, gamma [mg] 0.09 Tocotrienol, alpha [mg] 0.01 Vitamin K (phylloquinone) [µg] 24.1 Fatty acids, total saturated [g] 0.02 16:0 [g] 0.02 18:0 [g] 0 Fatty acids, total monounsaturated [g] 0.01 16:1 [g] 0 18:1 [g] 0 Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated [g] 0.07 18:2 [g] 0.02 18:3 [g] 0.05 Phytosterols [mg] 10 Tryptophan [g] 0.01 Threonine [g] 0.03 Isoleucine [g] 0.02 Leucine [g] 0.03 Lysine [g] 0.02 Methionine [g] 0.01 Cystine [g] 0.01 Phenylalanine [g] 0.02 Tyrosine [g] 0.01 Valine [g] 0.02 Arginine [g] 0.02 Histidine [g] 0.01 Alanine [g] 0.03 Aspartic acid [g] 0.13 Glutamic acid [g] 0.19 Glycine [g] 0.02 Proline [g] 0.01 Serine [g] 0.03 Sources include : USDA [2]
Calories
According to the USDA, a 100 g serving of raw iceberg lettuce contains 14 calories. [3]
Health Benefits of Iceberg Lettuce
This lettuce has many health benefits, including weight loss, prevention of birth defects, and reduced risk of many diseases. Let us discuss these in detail:
Improved Health
It is rich in vitamin A, which is an essential vitamin required for healthy eyes as well as the growth and development of bones. It also strengthens the immune system.
Birth Defect Prevention
Iceberg lettuce is a good source of folate. Intake of folate-rich foods by pregnant women helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. [4]
Blood Clotting
Iceberg lettuce also contains vitamin K, which aids in the production of proteins required by the body for normal blood clotting. [5]
Weight Loss
Iceberg lettuce has high water content and it is very low in calories. Eating a lettuce salad will fill your stomach without adding to the total calorie count consumed per meal. Therefore, it encourages weight loss efforts. But do remember that while the leaves will not add the calories by themselves, the dressing might. So, keep it light if you are eating lettuce for weight loss.
Fights Diseases
Because of the folate content, iceberg lettuce may also help fight various health issues, such as folate deficiency, depression, and chronic diseases. [6]
Iceberg lettuce is considered one of the sweeter lettuce varieties. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Select & Store
Always select lettuce that is fresh and has crisp leaves. Avoid buying the ones that are slimy or wilted. Wash well before use to avoid any foodborne illness and store it in a cool place. To ensure that the lettuce stays fresh longer, wrap up the lettuce head in a kitchen towel and then put it in a ziplock bag. This way it will stay fresh for at least five days in your refrigerator.
Quick Ways to Serve
The lettuce can be used in various recipes like the following:
- In salads with fruit, vegetable, chicken or seafood
- In sandwiches and burgers
- In soup or stir-fries
