
As a rule of thumb, the outer leaves as well as lettuce varieties that are dark green and reddish in color are the most nutritious. But even popular, but pale, iceberg lettuce provides water, fiber, folate, and small amounts of other important vitamins and minerals like zinc and potassium.

To bump up the nutritional quality of the salads you serve, try tossing in some deeply colored salad greens. Spinach, watercress, Lamb's lettuce, and dandelion greens are loaded with beta-carotene, a pigment our bodies can convert to vitamin A. Dandelion greens, endive, chicory, romaine, and spinach also provide plenty of folate, a vitamin many consider an important nutrient for cardiovascular health. Darkly hued leaf lettuce, spinach, lamb's lettuce, and mustard, beet and dandelion greens are rich in iron. Also, don't forget nutritious additions like vitamin C-rich tomatoes, broccoli and green pepper, beta carotene-rich carrots, nuts, seeds, and raisins.
No comments:
Post a Comment