Leaf lettuce is an annual plant, in the form of small heads of cabbage with foliage of various shapes and all shades of green. The surface of the leaves can be wavy, smooth, corrugated, curly. The color and appearance of foliage is completely dependent on the weather. On hot days, they turn pale, in cold weather, on the contrary, they become more saturated, juicy and elastic. The stem is highly branched, forms a large number of inflorescences. The roots are weak, rod-shaped, located at the very surface of the soil.
Composition and nutritional value of lettuce
Growing lettuce in unprotected beds is easy enough. The plant contains all the vitamin groups necessary for the body and a huge amount of mineral components:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- manganese;
- iron;
- iodine;
- copper;
- boron;
- molybdenum;
- organic acids.
The vegetable helps to properly digest food, accelerates and stabilizes material metabolism. Lettuce foliage should not be heat treated; it is consumed only fresh.
One hundred grams of the plant contains no more than 12 kcal.
Types of lettuce
By the time of ripening, the plant is divided into several types:
- spring - the earliest ripening, can be grown in a garden bed or in greenhouse conditions (Asterix, Kritset, Lakomka and others);
- summer - perfectly tolerates hot weather (Azarius, America, Dionysus, Dubrava and others);
- autumn - grows in cool climatic conditions, does not suffer from a lack of light, practically does not get sick (Ballet).
Each of the varieties is resistant to the appearance of flowering stems, they can be grown both in greenhouse conditions and on unprotected soil.
In addition, the vegetable can be of different colors:
- green;
- red;
- Violet.
Beneficial features
Lettuce has a lot of useful properties. It protects brain cells from chemical elements that can cause cancer. At the same time, it stimulates neurons, improves memory, speeds up the processing of information, and prevents Alzheimer's disease.
Low calorie levels help lower cholesterol levels. It helps to stop heart disease, protects against heart attacks and strokes.
The beneficial substances contained in the leaves have the ability to dilate blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots and varicose veins.
The antioxidants contained in the leaves protect the liver from toxins and cleanse the body. The constituent elements absorb free radicals and quickly remove them. By consuming a vegetable in the off-season, you can strengthen the immune system and speed up the metabolic process.
The potassium present in the vegetable enhances blood circulation, fills tissues with oxygen, and prevents early aging of the body. Lettuce is often recommended by doctors for obese people. With its help, you can eliminate constipation, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
The low value of the glycemic index allows even diabetics to eat salad. The plant controls sugar levels, prevents glucose surges. The nutritional components of the plant work well on the hair and skin of the face, normalizing the production of fat.
The presence of a large amount of fiber in the leaves helps to lose excess weight. It is with this product that you can increase the bulk of any dish, keeping the feeling of satiety for a long time.
The juice prepared from this plant helps cleanse the blood and saturate it with useful components. Making a drink is simple - you need carrots, lettuce and beets in equal proportions.
For women
The salad reduces pain during menstrual cycles, replenishes the body with nutrients and vitamins, and stabilizes hemoglobin.
Systematic use guarantees protection against oncology of the ovaries and mammary glands.
He is also able to reduce the number of hot flashes during menopause, facilitating the general condition.
The plant can be added to the diet of pregnant women to help the fetus's nervous system and musculoskeletal system develop properly. Lettuce greens can improve the quality of breast milk and eliminate its bitterness.
This culture is also used in cosmetology for the preparation of masks. It is enough just to grind it and apply it to the skin surface. Rashes and purulent pimples disappear. The juice squeezed out of the salad helps to restore damaged hair, enhances its growth;
For men
Increases libido, sperm quality. Doctors recommend consuming the plant to families who have difficulty in conceiving. The zinc content in the plant prevents the development of impotence.
Cosmetology
The plant extract is used in the preparation of some medicines. As a rule, they are designed to strengthen nails, improve skin health. Quite often foliage is used for external use.
Harm from use
The plant contains a large amount of oxalic acid, which is especially harmful for people suffering from kidney and bladder diseases.
The salad is prohibited for use with urolithiasis, hepatitis, gout, colitis and other gastrointestinal ailments.
The consumption of lettuce is allowed for asthma and tuberculosis sufferers after visiting a doctor. You should not use the product if you have allergic reactions to one or another element. Norms for the use of lettuce in food:
- a healthy adult needs one hundred grams of product per day, which is about two glasses of crushed leaves;
- for children under twelve years of age, this rate is halved.
Although salad is considered a spring and autumn plant, it is difficult to grow it in hot summer. But with the arrival of spring, it is he who is able to save from avitominosis and depression. It is recommended to grow this plant in places illuminated by the sun, the soil should be fertile, well loosened with moderate acidity. In the process of cultivation, the culture requires feeding with fertilizers containing a lot of nitrogen and potassium.