Lettuce leaves are impressive taste qualities, colors, intricate shapes. Many chefs are confident: lettuce leaves go with all foods and are appropriate in any dish. However, each green is special and capricious in its own way: it can elevate a dish or ruin it.

Arugula (rocket or arugula)

Arugula adds a special piquancy to dishes due to its spicy taste with a light peppery, delicate nutty aftertaste. In India, vocalists use it because it can restore the voice after illness or overwork. It relieves fatigue well, fills the body with energy, helps beauties lose a few extra pounds, and in ancient times it was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.


To highlight the taste of dishes, it is better to choose a young, soft green rocket. In large emerald leaves There is a lot of mustard oil and bitter substances; they can overpower the subtle taste of veal, fish, seafood, vegetables or mushrooms. For such a plant, it is better to choose spicy and rich sauces with a pronounced taste of mustard or garlic; Parmesan, blue or sharp cheeses are good. Ripe arugula is used to prepare marinade and pickle cucumbers. The spiciness can be easily reduced by keeping the greens in a bowl under running water for about an hour.

Arugula is one of the main components of the salad mix. It's being run olive oil or mustard sauce, add cherry tomatoes and place in a heap on a plate next to the hot dish ( chicken liver, fried mushrooms, quiche lauren). The leaves are crushed and put into okroshka, green borscht, rolled into rolls, sprinkled with carpaccio, and complement the flavor of the cottage cheese. It is not recommended to fry or stew savory greens: appearance and the aftertaste gets worse. It is better to add it to risotto or pasta one minute before the end of cooking; it can be used as a spice in casseroles. In Slovenia, it is added to the filling for cheese chebureks. Italians decorate bruschetta and pizza, throw it in pesto, and prepare an unusual liqueur “rucolino”, which they drink after meals to improve digestion. In Japan, rolls and dishes with rice noodles.

Under the weight of sauces and vegetable oil, arugula turns into an unsightly green mass, so it is lightly seasoned before serving.

Beautiful greens look interesting with thick homemade mayonnaise, when it envelops each leaf, but does not crush them with its weight. Arugula can be mixed with lemon-honey sauce and complement light dishes with fruity notes. The plant goes best with pine nuts, raw salmon, tuna, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, brie and Philadelphia cheese, seafood, orange, grapefruit, avocado, baked beets or pumpkin. Cream balsamic or dark balsamic vinegar, olive and Sesame oil. Spicy greens Can replace salt! Celery, sour cream and cream sauces do not go well with arugula.

Iceberg

Iceberg leaves are distinguished by their juiciness, sweetish notes and pleasant crunch. The delicious ball is washed only on top, without disassembling into leaves. Often it is cut in half or the stalk is removed, and then it is torn by hand (for some dishes it is cut into strips). The upper leaves are used to prepare salads, and the middle is left for decoration because beautiful shape in the form of a bowl. Iceberg is added to mixed salads extremely rarely, as it weighs down the greens and quickly loses its attractiveness: it darkens at the edges.


Iceberg is great with sour cream and creamy sauces, rich or sweet dressings made with olive oil and mitsukan and citrus caramel. It is best used in salads; it is not recommended to fry or boil it. Dressed leaves can be safely left in the refrigerator for an hour, as they hold their shape well and remain juicy. Here's the simplest one.

Iceberg goes well with canned tuna, anchovies, any meat, eggs, vegetables, capers, lentils and tofu, white croutons and couscous. Goes well with mango, rice noodles, parmesan and feta. For a salad, garlic is best, especially in a duet with soy sauce, basil, mint, medium-hot or Dijon mustard. The leaves are often used instead of romaine because of its juiciness and bright flavor, especially in Caesar salad. They don't fit well delicate seafood Due to the dense and crispy texture, it is better to use romaine or lollo biondo for fish dishes.

Spinach

It is original: its fresh and sweetish-sour taste will harmonize well with any food. Small juicy leaves will complement the salad mix, suitable for garnishing a meat dish, it will be especially tasty in tandem with chicken liver, raw or lightly salted salmon, goat cheese or feta, truffle oil, pine nuts, legumes. Greens harmonize perfectly with creamy, sweet and sour, spicy sauces, honey-mustard and onion dressings.

Spinach lends itself well to heat treatment and reveals itself in a new way in hot dishes.

Large leaves can be simmered in their own juice, adding 10 grams of butter for taste, a couple of drops of fresh lemon juice, salt, and a mixture of peppers. It is advisable to stir constantly during cooking. When the greens wilt and turn dark green, immediately set aside, otherwise the attractiveness and taste will be lost. This side dish is best placed on a plate through a cooking ring, sprinkled with Parmesan, and then leaned fried salmon or chicken breast. It will be delicious if you mix poached spinach with mashed potatoes or lay out in layers. If you combine green gruel with blue cheese or orange zest, you can stuff chicken fillet. If you add a boiled egg and grated hard cheese, place in pancakes, roll into a tube and fry, you will get an amazing snack.

With spinach, first courses turn out tasty and beautiful: green borscht, potato soup. It is added to quiche Laurent, omelettes, vegetable or meat casseroles, in rice or pasta, prepare filling for pies and meat zraz. It goes well with nutmeg, fennel, basil, and dill.

Spinach is a great coloring for lasagna. pasta, cream, ice cream, sauce. Greens can be chopped with butter, soft cheese, cottage cheese and get an amazing emerald shade. The leaves are dried, canned, frozen.

Lollo Rosso and Bioda

Torn leaves will add volume and fluffiness to the salad. They are combined with rich, spicy, mustard, sweet and sour sauces, as well as sesame and truffle oil. Lollo can be put in a mix (more than half) or as a “pillow” under beet carpaccio or vegetable salad. It is not recommended to season the leaves long before serving or place a hot dish on them: the greens quickly wither and settle.

Rosso has a slight bitterness and light nutty notes. Bionda has a softer aftertaste, so it is often used as a “dressing” for pancakes and buffet appetizers.

Friese

Despite its bitter taste, frisée is often added to mixed salads and garnishes hot dishes. It is better to choose greens with flexible and small outer leaves. If you come across thick and hard stems, the greens can be separated with scissors. Grind the remaining pods and add to vegetable stew at the end of cooking.

Curls give salads sophistication and incredible volume, so the most valuable thing in greens is the soft light green center. Frize is seasoned with all sorts of sauces, just like lollo rosso. It goes well with red wine, citruses, berries and fruits, pine nuts, blue cheeses, fish and seafood, olives. Drops of cream balsamic on light curls add to salads original look, so the middle is often used to complete the composition of a dish.

Roman (romano)

Romaine has an unusual and rich flavor range: it is islandy, slightly tart and spicy, sweetish and nutty. However, after heat treatment it acquires an asparagus aftertaste. The leaves go best with thick, spicy, garlic, cheese sauces, olive oil, yogurt-based dressings, sour cream, homemade mayonnaise. Goes well with seafood, fish, meat, smoked meats, rich and blue cheeses. It is not advisable to combine with fruits, honey, nut sauce, however they can be added as additional component to highlight the taste of the main product. Romaine can be stewed and boiled: put into puree soup, vegetable or meat stew, in Italy it is cooked like spinach.

Romaine is rarely thrown into mixed salads: it does not harmonize well with other greens, its leaves are too fibrous, quickly wither and darken when cut. Romano can be torn off, discarding the massive vein, or cut into wide strips across the leaf. It gives salads a small volume; dressed greens can last about an hour in the refrigerator (if there is not too much sauce).

Radicchio (radichio)

Radicchio has a spicy and bitter taste, which disappears after heat treatment. The harsh and heavy purple-violet leaves are best diluted with other leafy salads. They look beautiful in mixes and give the dish a bright look, but it is not recommended to cut them into strips; it is better to tear them into small pieces.


Radicchio can be stewed, grilled and served as a side dish for meat and fish dishes. In Italy it is fried for 2-3 minutes, but its beautiful juicy color is lost. The leaves should not be overcooked in the pan; they should crisp slightly. Salt, fried onion rings of aromatic varieties, and crushed walnuts are added to the purple mass. Radicchio goes well with cumin, garlic, artichokes and beans. It is tossed into risotto and pasta at the end of cooking and baked with mozzarella. It goes well with mayonnaise, honey and citrus dressings.

Chicory

Chicory has a sharp taste with a pronounced bitterness, especially at the base of the stalk. Since the time of the pharaohs, poisonous insect bites have been treated with its juice, tinctures have been prepared to treat vision, joints and digestive organs. In salads and appetizers it is used as decoration because interesting shape boat leaf. If you cut the leaf in half lengthwise, you can finish the composition of the dish with cute “ears.” Combines with nut and tomato sauces, mayonnaise, vegetable oil, honey and mustard. Perfect for dishes with smoked eel, tangerines, truffles, fried bacon, cream cheeses and cottage cheese, peaches and pears, avocado.

Chicory is stewed, poached, blanched, fried and served with fish, meat, and potato dishes. You can bake it with bacon and cheese, make an omelet, or add any filling. To prevent dishes from turning out too bitter, it is better to buy chicory with light leaves and remove the stalk before washing.

Mash salad (corn)

Mung bean salad is the most delicate and sophisticated plant with a spicy aftertaste, subtle nutty notes and sweetness. It looks great in mixed salads, but it’s better not to tear off the leaves, but toss them in whole “rosettes”, because the plant quickly deteriorates, especially after water treatments. Corn goes well with citrus fruits (especially lime and tangerine), any fruit, and goat or blue cheese. You can season the leaves with lingonberry sauce or olive oil. Mung bean salad is served in large quantities To chicken meat, game, to salads made from raw salmon or tuna, sprinkle with pine nuts or tobiko caviar. Excellent as a decoration for rolls and sashimi. The leaves are too delicate, so it is recommended to season them only before serving and not mix them with the rest of the ingredients, but place them on top of the dish or side by side.

Watercress

A unique plant with horseradish flavor: the leaves are sharp, with pronounced mustard notes. It is considered a spice and is suitable for making soups, vegetable purees, omelets, meat and fish dishes, game, bread, adding piquancy and uniqueness to the dishes. Used as a filling for pies, combined with cheeses, cottage cheese and potatoes, but it is not advisable to chop it: the bitterness may increase. During heat treatment, the specific peppery taste disappears, leaving a refined aroma and a magical aftertaste. You can season rice or pasta, add it to fresh vegetables and fruits. Chinese chefs serve it with sugar, which means that greens will give desserts a special zest. Watercress is good for men, it is considered a good aphrodisiac, improves immunity, slows down the aging process, and stimulates appetite. Based on the ingredients and desired taste, the leaves are added to the salad mix before serving.

By the way, it’s fashionable to grow it at home.

Boston

It amazes with its delicate and sweet taste. Outer leaves more suitable for making sandwiches, “pillows” for a warm seafood salad. The middle is juicier and crispier, will look great in mixed salads, and is good for cold dishes. Boston goes well with blue cheeses, nuts, fruits, especially pears. It is better to choose not spicy sauce, but gentle, light, with a sweetish-sour aftertaste. It goes well with honey, cream balsamic, creamy sauces, and citrus-based dressings.

Knowing the subtleties taste range arugula and corn, the texture of spinach and romaine leaves creates amazing culinary perfection!

It is worth talking about the benefits of lettuce leaves in great detail, because this product is often considered simply an additive to dishes. Among the variety of types of lettuce, each plant is rich in vitamins and microelements. Salad is a must-have item on the menu for those losing weight; you can’t avoid this product even during colds. The green leaf has a lot of hidden useful properties, but it cannot be called harmless either. Let's take a closer look at the plant.

Description of the plant, types

Salad - vegetable crop, an annual plant, similar in structure to a head of cabbage. Depending on the variety, the foliage can be solid, wavy or curly. Color - light or dark green, red and purple. The stems are collected in a dense bunch, the roots are weak, located almost at the surface.

The plant is dietary, it is used to detoxify the body, lose weight, improve the liver, digestive tract, nervous system and other organs. The calorie content of the leaves is very low - only 12-25 kcal per 100 g. For understanding, one bunch is approximately 250 g, an average branch is 10 g.

There are more than a thousand varieties of lettuce in nature. The most useful ones, which are often used in cooking, are lettuce, romaine, batavia, corn, and iceberg.

Iceberg

One of the most popular types. It looks like cabbage, the leaves are tightly curled and have a pleasant crunch. Iceberg lettuce is used both in whole, and cut into strips and cubes. There is a slight bitter taste. Iceberg is rich in fiber, vitamins and microelements.

lettuce

Lettuce is the record holder for the content of potassium, magnesium and iron among salads. The peculiarity of this group is the curly edge and green-burgundy color. The most popular varieties are Lollo Rosso and Lollo Bionda. The taste is juicy, with a slight bitterness.

Spinach

Spinach is a type of salad. This is one of the most valuable products with low calorie content. Small smooth leaves have a very delicate, sweetish taste. The peculiarity of spinach is to absorb the taste of the products with which it is cooked.

Batavia

One of the earliest spring varieties. Batavia is easily recognized by its large light green leaves with a wavy edge. Used in many dishes, but dries quickly after cutting, so it must be eaten immediately.

Arugula

A spicy variety of lettuce with thin stems and unusual thin and elongated leaves. The taste is spicy, mustard. The stem is very bitter and is not used in dishes. This type of salad is rich in iodine and vitamin C and is considered an aphrodisiac.

Romain

The variety is known for its Caesar salad, which uses these crispy, bright green leaves. Hamburgers and sandwiches are layered with romaine. The salad has a sweetish taste with a nutty note.

Korn

The peculiarity of the species is its small leaves, their arrangement reminiscent of a rose at the moment of blooming. The taste is delicate and sweet. Used in salads fresh fruit and berries, perfectly complements meat dishes. Counts best view for the prevention of vitamin deficiency. Contains vitamins C, E, group B.

Composition and beneficial properties

What substances are found in simple-looking green leaves:

1. Whole vitamin complex: A, C, E, H, K, PP, group B.
2. Micro- and macroelements, including such rare ones as sulfur, selenium, molybdenum, iodine. The leaves are rich in iron, potassium, calcium and manganese.
3. Alimentary fiber.

There are about 94 g of water per 100 g. The proportion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates is very small - 0.2, 2 and 1.5 g, respectively. The rest is dietary fiber and beneficial elements.

Why lettuce leaves are so beneficial for health, detailed analysis:

1. The product stimulates brain activity: saturates cells with oxygen, increases performance, improves concentration and helps withstand long-term mental stress. To cheer up and get involved in work, it is recommended to replace the popular sweet energy drink - chocolate - with lettuce leaves.
2. Magnesium normalizes the functioning of the nervous system at all levels. Regular consumption of salad reduces the risk of nervous diseases. The salad fights insomnia and acts as a mild sedative.
3. Calcium, necessary for the skeletal system of the body, is more than contained in the salad. This inconspicuous green is superior in macronutrient content to even recognized products - milk and cottage cheese.
4. This is a powerful support for the immune system and prevention of vitamin deficiency. The lettuce leaf also has a thinning property and helps remove phlegm from the lungs.
5. Vitamin A supports visual health.
6. The salad is easily and quickly absorbed in the intestines and does not overload the digestive tract. The absorption of nutrients is accelerated, so the leaf is recommended to be added to meat and other heavy dishes. At the same time, the product cleanses the organ, removing toxins and waste from it. Effective for constipation. Cleansing the body through fiber is an important property of a weight loss product.
7. Potassium in salad is the key to heart health. The blood vessels are strengthened and cleared of cholesterol due to the substance lactucin (it is this substance that gives some varieties their characteristic bitterness). Greens normalize sugar levels, which makes them practically necessary in a diabetic menu, and promote hematopoiesis, preventing anemia.

Impact on the female body

Leaf lettuce is extremely beneficial for women, both for health and beauty. Let's start with the first point:

1. Folic acid - regulator hormonal balance. Products with this vitamin are especially necessary during pregnancy. Thus, salad helps to form the baby’s nervous and skeletal system, reduces the likelihood of miscarriage and premature birth.
2. The product is recommended during lactation, as it improves the quality of breast milk and makes it taste more pleasant.
3. Salad helps blood formation and facilitates menstruation.
4. It is important for a woman at any period of life to remain in good mood. With stress, insomnia, irritability, salad will support nervous system. During menopause, the product will alleviate the general condition.
5. Lettuce leaves expand the walls of blood vessels and prevent varicose veins.
6. One of the most important properties salad - anti-cancer: regular inclusion of the product in the menu helps reduce the likelihood of cancer of the female reproductive system.

Beauty benefits of leaves:

1. Fresh herbs keep the skin fresh, eliminate flaking, and increase elasticity.
2. Lettuce leaf masks minimize inflammation.
3. The product restores hair shine and enhances hair growth.

Benefits for men

There are men who only recognize meat and do not consider lettuce leaves to be food. They will be pleasantly surprised that fresh herbs will help meat dishes digest faster.

Benefits of lettuce leaves for men:

1. Increase libido, especially spicy varieties like arugula.
2. Improves sperm quality and helps with problems with conception.
3. Reduce the risk of impotence.

Salad on the children's menu

IN children's menu salad is introduced from the age of 1.5 years. Vitamins and microelements in a child’s diet are especially important: a growing body needs building materials, especially calcium, magnesium, manganese and a number of other microelements.

School-aged children may be overtired. The salad will help you stay energetic throughout the day and be attentive in class.

Advice! Salad as a preventative against viral seasonal diseases is necessary for both adults and children.

Benefits for the liver

One of the most beneficial properties of lettuce is cleansing the liver. Green juice is medicinal for this vital organ. What does the liver do:

• neutralizes and removes decay products;
• neutralizes the effects of alcohol;
• stores vitamins;
• fights infections;
• regulates metabolic processes;
• keeps cholesterol under control and much more.

If the organ works intermittently, the person’s condition will noticeably worsen, and this will immediately affect a number of systems.

Periodic unloading of the liver is a necessary procedure for maintaining human health, especially with abuse of alcohol, cigarettes and harmful products. Lettuce leaves are suitable for this purpose: they are squeezed valuable juice and combine it with other components.

Is there any harm possible?

Harm from lettuce leaves is possible due to kidney and bladder diseases. Oxalic acid in the composition harms weakened organs. Strict contraindications - exacerbations of gastrointestinal diseases (colitis, enterocolitis), urolithiasis, hepatitis, gout.

If you follow the daily norm and there are no allergic reactions, the salad will only bring benefits to the body. For an adult, 100 g of the product is enough, for a child over 12 years old - 50 g.

How to choose salad in the store and how to store it

A high-quality salad has the following characteristics:

• uniform color, absence of dark spots and rot;
• dry leaves - if they are covered with droplets of water, then the shelf life is sharply reduced. This is a special technique of sellers, since wet salad looks more appetizing, and you want to buy it;
• integrity of the leaf - there should be no tears or signs that someone has bitten the greens.

Salads with an intact root system last longer than others. They are sold in small pots with soil. Lettuce leaves stay fresh for about a week. They are located on the lower shelves of the refrigerator.

Growing lettuce on the plot and at home

Fun fact: some gardeners are sure that lettuce is a purely ornamental plant. However, a number of varieties are easy to grow with your own hands and get the maximum benefits every year.

Lettuce is an unpretentious plant, grows on any soil, does not require special agricultural technology - you only need to organize humidity and reduce the acidity of the soil. If you plant several varieties with different taste characteristics and ripening time, then from spring to autumn you will be able to enjoy the most useful food additive.

Varieties for growing on the site:

• iceberg is one of the most popular varieties;
• romain - ripens longer than others, loves moisture, but the wait is worth the result;
• Arugula, watercress, corn, and lettuce are also popular.

Both seeds and ready-made seedlings are selected for cultivation. Sowing is carried out in small cups or directly into the ground. The period is mid-spring, depending on the characteristics of the region. After about 1.5 months, you can already cut off the grown greenery.

Life hack from Polzateevo magazine: the salad is so compact that growing it will not be difficult to organize at home. This is also convenient because healthy greens will be available all year round.

How to grow lettuce at home:

1. Select a fairly spacious box so that the soil in it does not dry out quickly. Approximate parameters are 60 cm in length and width and 10-12 cm in depth.
2. Lettuce will grow well in the following soil mixture: 2 parts humus, 2 parts turf soil and 1 part sand.
3. The place to place the box is sunny and without drafts, but until the sprouts appear, the container is kept in the shade.
4. The seeding depth is 1.5-2 cm. The distance between the bushes is about 10 cm.
5. Immediately after sowing, the soil is moistened. While the sprouts are weak, it is better to spray them.
6. Every 20-25 days they sow a new portion of lettuce to ensure a continuous harvest.

How is lettuce used in cooking?

With the help of lush lettuce leaves you can visually increase the volume of the dish. This is important when following a diet, when portions are limited, and every now and then you want to eat. The salad will fill your plate, making the portion larger, and help you feel fuller longer.

Some cooking tips:

1. Some varieties have a bitter taste, which is not pleasant to everyone's taste. These are arugula, oak salad, etc. Soaking in cold water for 10 minutes will help get rid of the taste.
2. For cooking, salad should not be cut with a knife. The sheet is simply torn by hand. Firstly, the leaf quickly loses its usefulness when it comes into contact with a knife. Secondly, a sloppy edge looks much more appetizing in salads than an even cut with darkened edges.
3. To prevent the lettuce leaf from wilting in the dish, add the dressing immediately before serving.
4. Delicious combinations for salad dressing - lemon juice, natural yogurt, low-fat sour cream, vegetable oil, some spices: ginger, cinnamon,... Different types salads go well together. Other herbs - parsley, thyme - will also be a tasty addition.

What dishes are lettuce leaves used in?

Vitamin mixes are made from different varieties. The plant serves as greenery for vegetable salads. On large leaf Lollo Rosso stacks meat dishes. Lettuce is very good for layering in sandwiches.

Greens go well with cheese, eggs, fish, seafood, fermented milk drinks, other greens, nuts and sprouted grains.

Deserves special attention vitamin cocktails, or smoothie. The juice is squeezed out of the lettuce leaf or the pureed pulp is mixed with other ingredients. Often these are fruit and vegetable juices, nuts, and healthy seeds.

Several delicious dishes with lettuce leaf

Mixes of greens are used in weight loss menus. It’s impossible to get enough of salad alone, so it’s combined with vegetables and protein foods.

Light salad for weight loss

Compound:

• 100 g lettuce leaves of any kind,
• 10 cherry tomatoes,
• 2 tbsp. l. pine nuts,
• 0.5 tsp. dried oregano,
• for refueling,
• salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Rinse the lettuce and tomatoes.
2. Cut the cherry into halves.
3. Tear the salad into large pieces.
4. Mix dressing ingredients: oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.
5. Pour the dressing over the vegetables.
6. Sprinkle everything with pine nuts.

Fat burning salad with arugula and shrimp

Spicy arugula goes well with seafood. This dish will diversify the diet of someone losing weight.

Compound:

• 12 shrimps,
• 100 g arugula,
• soy sauce,
• several cherry tomatoes,
• garlic clove,
• 1 tbsp. l. honey,
• lime juice

Preparation:

1. Boil or fry in a pan for a few minutes.
2. Add soy sauce to taste and chopped garlic.
3. Rinse the arugula and soak for a few minutes to remove any excess bitterness.
4. Separate the leaves from the stems and mix with shrimp.
5. Decorate the salad with slices of tomatoes and avocado, pour honey over everything and sprinkle with lime juice.

Unusual recipe from arugula and strawberries

These two foods will enhance each other's flavor.

Compound:

• 100 g arugula salad,
• 200 g fresh strawberries,
• 5 stalks of green asparagus,
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil,
• 2 tsp. ,
• 1 tbsp. l. wine vinegar,
• salt and spices as desired.

Preparation:

1. Puree half the strawberries in a blender into a paste, add oil, vinegar and your favorite spices.
2. Boil the asparagus for a few minutes, then cut into small pieces.
3. Tear the arugula into large pieces.
4. Place pieces of leaves on a plate and top with whole or sliced ​​strawberries.
5. The next layer is asparagus.
6. Pour strawberry puree sauce over everything.

How to use lettuce, delicious recipe

Compound:

• 300 g chicken fillet,
• 100 g tomatoes,
• 1 head of lettuce,
• 1 tbsp. l. mustard,
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. l. honey,
• The same amount of vegetable oil
• salt and pepper.

Preparation:

1. Cut the fillet into pieces, rub with salt and pepper and bake until golden brown.
2. Mix honey and mustard into sauce.
3. Disassemble the lettuce into sheets and divide into large pieces.
4. Combine the baked fillet with lettuce, tomatoes, and honey sauce.
5. Mix oil, vinegar and a little salt and season the salad.

Juice for cleansing the liver and the whole body

Let's consider medicinal recipe traditional medicine based on lettuce leaf. One of the most effective ways recovery - drinking salad juice. This drink quickly cleanses the overloaded liver. If the organ is healthy, a person’s well-being improves significantly.

A mixture of the most useful juices: lettuce juice, beets and carrots will help you completely cleanse your entire body. Spinach cleans well, but other plant varieties will also work. Juices are mixed in equal proportions and drunk a quarter glass per day. To reduce possible harm from a concentrated drink, it is diluted with boiled water.

Cosmetic recipes

Women's beauty experiments are very diverse, and even the lettuce leaf did not go unnoticed by the ladies. This plant has long been known for its wound-healing, refreshing and vitaminizing properties. Why not make a face mask using fresh herbs? Vitamin A in the composition promotes cell regeneration, restoration of elasticity and healthy skin color.

Advice! The lettuce variety has pronounced healing properties. It is enough to apply mashed fresh leaf on damaged skin and hold for several minutes - the number of pustules from such a procedure will noticeably decrease.

Recipe for tired and dull skin prone to flaking:

1. Grind or chop 5-10 lettuce leaves in a blender.
2. Mix the green paste with 3 tbsp. l. heavy cream(yogurt, sour cream).
3. Apply to cleansed face and leave for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse off with warm water.

Mixture to restore elasticity to the oval of the face:

1. Lettuce paste - 3 tbsp. l.
2. Nut or vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. l.
3. Lemon juice - 1 tsp.
4. Apply the mixture for 20 minutes, then rinse and seal the procedure with moisturizer.

Lettuce leaf is also used to restore the beauty of hair. The product can not only restore shine to your hair, but also affect the condition of the hair follicles. Applying lettuce leaf juice will help prevent baldness.

Recipe for a mask for hair shine and activation of hair growth:

1. Mix in equal proportions the juice of lettuce, castor, burdock and.
2. Heat the mixture in a water bath.
3. Apply to curls, rub into scalp, wrap hair and wait half an hour.
4. Wash off with shampoo.

The lettuce leaf can be called universal: it is also a component for culinary dishes, and raw materials for drinks, and cosmetic products. Each person will find a favorite plant variety, since it meets any taste preferences: there are both sweet and tender and spicy varieties with bitterness, there are large and smooth leaves, and there are curly ones.

Bright green, delicate light green, reddish and brown shades of leaves make the dish bright and festive. A combination of beneficial properties, a minimum of contraindications and low calorie content made this product invaluable. If your goal is weight loss, toning, detox, regulation of sleep and digestion, then go to the supermarket, delicious salad bundles are already waiting there.

Salads are one of the most vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetables. There are more than a hundred types of them.
For dietary nutrition- This indispensable source vitamins and minerals. Lettuce leaves contain a large number of vitamin A and folic acid, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Lettuce juice contains the glycoside lactucin, which calms the nervous system, has a mild hypnotic effect, and improves sleep.
Thanks to the favorable ratio of potassium and sodium salts, the salad has a beneficial effect on the liver, kidneys, pancreas and cardiovascular system, and regulates water metabolism in the body.
It is included in therapeutic dietary nutrition for atherosclerosis, diabetes, stomach ulcers, and hypertension.
Lettuce contains fiber and very few calories. Therefore, they are recommended for improving metabolism and for those who want to lose weight.

Salads go well with each other and with all other vegetables, poultry, meat, and fish. A handful of nuts, pieces of cheese or orange slices will perfectly highlight the taste of the salad. Lettuce salads can be served without dressing - in fresh season lightly with salt and pepper, or top them with olive oil, yogurt or sour cream.

Oak salad or Oakleaf

This leaf lettuce is red or green in color, reminiscent of oak leaves, and has a subtle, slightly nutty taste.

This salad should be consumed only on the day of purchase, since even in the refrigerator it can withstand no more than a day. Thanks to its exquisite taste, the leaves of this salad can be found in appetizers and even desserts.

Contains vitamins B1, B2, C, P, PP, E, K, folic acid, mineral salts. Regular consumption of salad helps fight vascular diseases and improves blood composition.
Champignons, avocado, smoked salmon, croutons, and chopped almonds go well with okalif.

Classic lettuce salad

This bright green herb has a peppery heat and can be used alone or in combination with other herbs.
Great for sandwiches, soups and omelettes.

In addition to vitamin C (up to 150 mg%), provitamin A, vitamins C and PP, B vitamins, watercress contains iodine, up to 0.45 mg per 1 kg of dry matter, as well as iron, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and copper.

The abundance of greenery pleases both outside the window and on the counters. A huge amount of delicate salad will help not only to let your culinary imagination run wild, but also to maintain a slim figure.

Choosing greens

First of all, of course, we look at the appearance of the greenery. Greens should be bright and juicy, but at the same time look natural, without a bright glossy shine or unnatural colors. The presence of such signs means that the products have been treated with chemicals to make them more long-term storage or were saturated with nitrates and other harmful compounds during cultivation.

In France, there was a special focus in the profession of a cook - a master of preparing salads

The ritual, reminiscent of some kind of sacred rite, began with white gloves, symbolizing special purity when preparing the salad. However, the cook took off his gloves to mix. During the mixing process, he did not use metal objects - forks and knives, which oxidize and damage thin leaves. He simply tore them with his hands. Indeed, with such preparation, vitamins are better preserved, and the leaves do not darken or wither.

5 reasons to love salad

- Gets rid of stones. Tibetan healers also claimed that salad perfectly “opens” the ducts, helps dissolve and remove sand and stones from the kidneys, liver, gall and bladder. Lettuce leaves are a good diuretic and choleretic agent.
- Good for blood vessels. Lettuce contains a high content of rutin, which helps strengthen the walls. blood vessels, removing excess cholesterol, which is important for the prevention of atherosclerosis.
- Minimum calories - maximum benefits. This product is ideal for dietary nutrition. Doctors recommend it not only to those who suffer from overweight, but also for patients with diabetes.
- Calms and pacifies. Helps cope with irritability and insomnia. The ancient Roman physician Galen wrote: “When I began to grow old and wanted to get a good night’s sleep, I could only give myself peace by eating a portion of salad at night.”
- A storehouse of useful substances. Thanks to the high percentage of iodine and copper, salad is indispensable in the treatment of diseases of the thyroid and pancreas. The folic acid contained in it is useful for children, their parents and especially pregnant women. And there is almost as much vitamin C in lettuce as in lemons.

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Contraindications for leafy salads

Almost not. However, keep in mind that the green parts of plants contain greatest number nitrates

Before you start cooking culinary masterpieces, attention should be paid to preparation leaf salads and greens for further processing. This applies not only to products purchased in a store or market, but even to those collected in your own garden.

Lettuce or greens, if they were sold in packaging, unpack, inspect for large debris, tear off the leaves and soak them in cold clean water with a little salt and soda for a few minutes. This is done to make it easier to remove dirt, sand, and insects. After this, the greens need to be washed 2-3 more times in running cold water.

Remember that lettuce cannot be cut with a knife - only tear it with your hands. Then the salad will remain fluffy and juicy for a long time. The same applies to greens if they are consumed fresh. The exception is sprigs of greenery.

Lettuce is conventionally divided into leaf and head lettuce. Can also be classified by taste properties: crispy, bitter, spicy, peppery, soft, etc.

Lettuce Salad- is not different bright taste, so it goes well with other types of salad. Do not place hot meat or fish on it: the leaf will quickly lose its attractiveness. Store in the refrigerator for 2-4 days.

Iceberg lettuce- a type of lettuce, quite dense, the leaves are light or bright green, juicy and crisp. Unlike most types of salad, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. It does not have a strong taste, so it goes perfectly with almost all sauces and dishes. Suitable as a side dish for fish or meat; you can use it to make cabbage rolls or serve salad on the leaves in portions.

Lettuce with long strong leaves. He has a tart, slightly spicy taste, which will not get lost in combination with other salad leaves. Delicious on its own, especially with yogurt dressings. can't do without it.

In its small leaves it contains mustard oil, which gives it pungent taste. You need to add a little bit to the dish. Watercress should not be crushed, otherwise it will give more bitterness and the aroma will become weaker. It fades quickly - store it in the refrigerator in a glass of water for no longer than a few days.

The best friend of all those who are losing weight, as it perfectly improves metabolism. Therefore, if there is a special event coming up or, for example, corporate photography, eat more arugula. The salad has a unique taste; it goes perfectly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, tomatoes and cheese. It is better to use the leaves for dishes - the stem is more bitter.

Escarial or Frize is a type of endive salad, its taste is slightly bitter. Suitable for salads with vinegar, lemon and vegetable oil. “Friends” with onions, garlic, thyme.

Radicchio Salad or red chicory - grown in northern Italy. The color of radiccio leaves ranges from yellow, interspersed with pink to dark red, with white veins. Chicory has a spicy, bitter taste and is popular not only in mixed salads, but also in hot dishes. Radiccio has a lot of iron and calcium.

Oakleaf salad- its shape is very reminiscent of oak leaves, hence the name. This lettuce forms loose heads. Lettuce leaves have a slight nutty flavor. They can be red or green. It is very sensitive to temperature changes and categorically refuses to spend the night in the refrigerator, so you need to prepare it on the day of purchase. The oak salad with champignons is especially tasty, smoked salmon, croutons, garlic and avocado. Can be used to prepare light dressings. It is not recommended to put it in salads with onions and sweet peppers.

Batavia salad- one of the closest relatives of oak lettuce - can be considered both leaf and head lettuce, since it has characteristics of both. Delicious, crunchy Batavia leaves form a spreading rosette with reddish-brown leaf edges. Sweetish taste Batavia goes very well with meat (especially fatty meat) and walnuts.

- (field lettuce) differs from other species in its small dark green leaves growing in “roses”. Corn goes well with toasted bacon bits, croutons, onions, citrus fruits and nuts. Its small dark green leaves have a spicy taste and delicate aroma. Even in antiquity, it was eaten with olive oil (which, indeed, is best suited for dressing the corn). By the way, in Ancient Greece and in Rome, corn was considered not only a tonic and wound-healing agent, but also an aphrodisiac.

Romaine lettuce or Romaine lettuce is a close relative head lettuce. Romaine plants have long, fleshy, crisp leaves that grow vertically upward. They form erect heads. The outer leaves are rich green, lighter towards the middle. The taste of this lettuce leaves is rougher than most other types, but it can be cooked! Old varieties of romaine lettuce need bleaching. Romaine can be served with hot sauces with the addition of vegetable oil, especially tasty with yogurt sauce. Romano enters. And its juice is used to treat certain diseases. Romaine lettuce is also used in some diets due to its high sodium content.

Chinese cabbage (Chinese cabbage)- Sheet forms Chinese cabbage They are eaten as salad greens, and the cabbage ones are used after cooking in soups, side dishes, and also pickled and dried.

This vegetable crop produces its first harvest in June, and this is its special value as a source of vitamins. In terms of the composition of vitamins and minerals, Chinese cabbage is similar to iceberg lettuce, but it is cheaper, stored longer and sold all year round.

There are two varieties kale: Chinese and Beijing. Beijing forms oval, large and dense heads of cabbage, while Chinese does not form heads of cabbage. and forms tall rosettes with highly developed leaf petioles. Chinese cabbage leaves are more tender, not as dense and, when raw, are more suitable for baby food.

Unfortunately, Chinese cabbage has one serious disadvantage - it has a very large stalk, which takes up almost half of the product. True, it can also be used for food, but not for children.

This cabbage is rich in vitamins. The ascorbic acid content in it is 4 times higher than in lettuce leaves: 60-95 mg for every 100 g of cabbage. Its nutritional value is associated with a high content of B vitamins: B6 (0.16 mg per 100 g raw cabbage). RR (0.6 mg). There are also folic acid and carotene.

Difficult biochemical composition cabbage makes it an indispensable product nutrition. Leafy forms of Chinese cabbage are eaten as salad greens. However, chefs do not recommend combining Chinese cabbage with such elite salads as arugula or radicchio. It's cabbage after all, and it simplifies the taste of the dish.

Heads of Chinese cabbage can also be used after cooking, for example, in soups, borscht and side dishes. Stuffed cabbage rolls are also prepared from it. But it is better, of course, to eat a fresh, high-quality head of cabbage raw, with its entire set of vitamins intact. Only in case that. if not the entire head of cabbage was needed for the salad, it makes sense to use the leftovers with heat treatment, especially since Chinese cabbage cooks very quickly. For children under one and a half to two years of age, while chewing and digesting raw vegetables is still difficult, soups and hot side dishes made from Chinese cabbage are an excellent option.

Its fiber is easily digested, which is valuable for children and expectant mothers. Chinese cabbage helps strengthen the immune system and brain function. In Asian countries, Chinese cabbage is also pickled and dried. In Korea, for example, they ferment it and call this dish “kimchi.” Cabbage can also be found under this name in our markets.

The dietary properties of Chinese cabbage, as well as its low calorie content and rich vitamin and mineral composition, allow experts to put it on a par with such real “fighters” against obesity as celery and cucumber.

From the point of view of experts, it is one of the most ancient, often eaten and most useful plants in the world. This product is not only nutritious, but also has healing properties. Among all low-calorie foods, salad comes first. Leaf lettuce, cabbage lettuce, iceberg, arugula, Peking lettuce - there are a lot of names and types of leaf lettuce, but none of them yield their palm to other food products in terms of a small amount of calories and a high content of nutrients.

Today we would like to talk on the topic: “Lettuce leaves: benefits and harms”, discuss important issues regarding the properties of the product, its composition, calorie content, healing qualities, contraindications, etc.

Lettuce is a universal product. Its beneficial properties

I would like to start with the topic “Lettuce leaves: benefits and harms, beneficial properties.” Lettuce leaves can be safely called a universal food product. Its distinctive feature is that it is available at any time of the year. Lettuce can be eaten from early spring to late autumn. They grow it themselves in garden beds at the dacha and buy it in grocery stores. Access to the product is open all year round, and the price does not change much depending on the season, which significantly saves money in your wallet and is a big plus.

Lettuce leaves are used not only in the form of salads, but also as a kind of light side dish for fish and meat dishes. And how beautiful lettuce leaves look on a plate, actively complementing and diluting color scheme main course!

Lettuce leaves have a number of beneficial properties and qualities. They contain great amount microelements that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Eating lettuce leaves normalizes the functioning of the immune system, reduces blood pressure.

Continuing the topic: “Lettuce leaves: benefits and harms, properties,” I would like to note that this product is recognized as indispensable for people suffering from insomnia. The leaves contain a substance such as the glycoside lactucin, which has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and has calming and relaxing properties.

The high potassium content helps normalize blood pressure. As a rule, the pressure increases for those who strive to win overweight. Some dietary foods have a negative effect on the functioning of the body as a whole and cardiovascular system in particular. But lettuce leaves, the benefits and harms of which have been discussed by nutritionists for a long time, are recognized as a product that is safe for the heart and arteries. In addition, thanks to the low weight, they are excellent for those who decide to lose weight. They can be consumed in large quantities, quickly make you feel full, and add microelements and vitamins to your body. At the same time, do not add extra pounds at all.

Lettuce and colds

The next topic that I would like to touch upon is: “Lettuce leaves: benefits and harm to the body, help in the fight against diseases.” Few people know, but lettuce is an excellent remedy, strengthening the immune system and helping to cope with colds. Eating of this product contributes to a faster recovery, a milder course of the disease, a reduced manifestation of sedimentary phenomena in the bronchi, a decrease in cough, etc.

If lettuce leaves, the benefits and harms of which we are discussing today, are mixed with lemon juice, you will get an excellent remedy for strengthening the immune system. By the way, they already contain quite a large amount of vitamin C. By consuming lettuce leaves with lemon juice at least once a day, you can defeat the flu and ARVI much faster.

Salad leaves and a wealth of vitamins

Now let’s touch on the topic: “Lettuce leaves - benefits and harms - composition.” The vitamin content contained in lettuce is quite high. For example, vitamin C, as we have already said, helps fight viral diseases. Vitamin K takes an active part in the functioning of the circulatory system. It helps regulate blood clotting. Vitamin A contained in the product has a beneficial effect on the organs of vision. By the way, experts advise more often combining green salad leaves and carrots or beets. This combination will not only normalize the functioning of the optic nerves, restore vision, soothe eyes tired during the day, but will also help prevent atherosclerosis.

Experts also advise children to eat lettuce leaves. They contain large amounts of fluorine, calcium and potassium, as well as iron. All these substances, as you know, are simply necessary for normal growth and development musculoskeletal system child.

Effects on the liver and digestive organs

Very often, doctors do not advise patients suffering from liver and digestive tract diseases to eat lettuce leaves. So, the next topic for discussion: “Lettuce leaves: benefits and harm for the liver and digestive organs.” Without a doubt, this product has a number of useful qualities and properties. However, people who suffer from liver diseases, gastritis, duodenitis, colitis or duodenal ulcers are not recommended to consume lettuce leaves.

People who have stomach diseases should also limit their consumption of lettuce leaves. urolithiasis or gout.

Remember that all foods should be eaten in moderation. If you want (despite the presence of the disease) to try lettuce leaves, then try to eat a small amount of them. Do not eat them alone, combine them with side dishes, fish and meat dishes.

Weight loss and leafy vegetable

Surely most of you associate lettuce leaves with losing weight young ladies. If this is the case, then it’s time to talk about the topic: “Lettuce leaves: health benefits and harms for those losing weight.” Undoubtedly, this product is very low in calories and can be eaten in large quantities. But it is worth remembering contraindications and restrictions related to health conditions. If there are none, then feel free to run to make a salad from lettuce.

You did the right thing if, after going on a diet, you decided to eat large quantities of lettuce leaves. The health benefits and harms here are varied. But positive qualities and there are still much more properties than negative ones. If you eat salad often, your body will not be prone to the formation of fat deposits, the accumulation of cholesterol and the appearance of cholesterol plaques. The folic acid and B vitamins it contains will prevent this.

The functioning of the digestive tract is also normalized. And, as you know, for everyone who goes on a diet, failures in this area are a common occurrence.

By the way, lettuce leaves, the benefits and harms, beneficial substances and properties of which we are discussing today, are real helpers for the body of those losing weight. They promote rapid saturation and accelerated absorption of nutrients contained in other foods.

List of vitamins contained in lettuce

So, we have already talked separately about those beneficial substances contained in lettuce leaves. Now let’s summarize the topic: “Lettuce leaves: benefits and harms, vitamin content,” listing the main ones. We'll also give brief description the work of substances.

• Vitamin A ( positive influence to the organs of vision).
• B vitamins (victory over cholesterol, strengthening the immune system, normalizing the functioning of the digestive system).
• Vitamin C (strengthens the immune system in children, helps in the fight against colds and viral diseases).
• Vitamin E (helps in the treatment of anemia, normalizes the functioning of the hematopoietic organs).
• Vitamins PP, K, H (normalize lipid-fat metabolism, promote weight loss, reduce the risk of intestinal problems and diarrhea).

Microelements contained in lettuce:

• Potassium and magnesium.
• Phosphorus and calcium.
• Chlorine and sodium.
• Copper and selenium.
• Zinc and manganese.
• Beta carotene.
• Alkaloid lactucin.
• Lutein.

Experts say that lettuce is one of the few food products that has a “star” composition. They contain so many substances beneficial to human health that their benefits to the body are limitless.

Benefits and harms for pregnant women

Having talked about the benefits in general, I would like to touch specifically on male and women's health. Let's start, perhaps, with the fair sex. Let's discuss a very important topic: “Lettuce leaves during pregnancy: benefits and harm.”

As you know, pregnant women must very strictly monitor their diet and choose the right foods. Experts advise expectant mothers to include lettuce leaves in their diet. These products have a positive effect on the normalization of the emotional state of the pregnant woman and contribute to the full and correct intrauterine development of the fetus. Folic acid, which is part of the salad, helps to avoid premature birth, miscarriages and the appearance of defects in the fetus. Calcium contained in lettuce leaves helps form a strong bone system, and protein serves as an excellent building material for the muscular system.

As a rule, pregnant women have severely disrupted hormonal levels. So, frequent consumption of lettuce leaves will help normalize and stabilize it. During the rampage of hormones, pregnant women's nails, hair and skin become damaged. The substances contained in lettuce will help normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands, reduce the appearance of acne, eliminate dry skin, strengthen the nail plate, reduce hair loss, etc.

Women who have already become happy mothers should also not forget about lettuce in their diet. Their constant use promotes lactation and increases the amount of milk.

Lettuce leaves, in addition, help fight gynecological diseases and prevent the appearance of cancer in the breast.

Lettuce leaves and men's health

As we have already said, the rich vitamin composition of the product helps in the treatment of many diseases. Men, who often suffer from fatigue and low immunity, simply must include lettuce in their diet.

In addition, vitamins and minerals help testosterone production and reduce the risk of performance problems genitourinary system, ensure the production of a sufficient amount of sperm and blood flow to the male genital organ. Frequently eating salad helps normalize hormonal background and relieves problems with potency.

Men who are actively involved in sports, lift heavy weights and run in the morning are simply obliged to eat. The set of vitamins included in its composition helps maintain water metabolism, grow and strengthen muscle mass, and lose weight.

Well, a green leafy vegetable is simply indispensable for balding men. An infusion of lettuce leaves and seeds helps get rid of baldness and gain thick, luxurious hair. The tincture penetrates deeply into the scalp, normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, nourishes the hair roots, and is an excellent remedy for the prevention of baldness.

Daily norm, calorie content

So, we have already discussed all the important topics, figured out the benefits and harms of eating lettuce. It remains to talk about daily norm and calorie content of this product.

If we talk about children's nutrition, then children under twelve years old are recommended to eat 50 grams of salad per day. Adults should double this figure. If you don’t have a home kitchen scale, what should you do? Measure the finely torn lettuce into cups or mugs. One hundred grams of lettuce is a small bowl or two standard glasses from which you drink tea in the morning.

Lettuce leaves are low-calorie foods. On average, one hundred grams of product contains twelve calories. This figure can move back and forth a few points depending on the type of salad. One hundred grams of lettuce also contains about 1.5 grams of protein, 0.12 grams of fat, 2.9 grams of carbohydrates, 1.5 grams of fiber and dietary fiber, 0.7 grams of sugar. As we can see, the vegetable contains a very small amount of carbohydrates and fats. All of its calories come from sugar and protein.

It would seem, how can a small green leaf contain so many useful substances, vitamins, and microelements? It helps in the fight against diseases, makes plump people slim, helps pregnant women while carrying a child, and helps young mothers in feeding their babies. A mystery of nature... But the fact remains a fact. Leaf lettuce is the healthiest food product, a must-have for both children and adult men and women.