Lettuce & Coffee Diet

A lettuce and coffee diet is not exclusively limited to these foods. Lettuce and coffee can be part of a sensible diet plan when used in moderation with other food groups.

Lettuce is the most popular ingredient in green salads. It is low in calories and high in fiber, which makes this an ideal food for individuals trying to lose weight. The various types of lettuce provide a wide assortment of vitamins and minerals in your diet.

Coffee is a popular beverage that contains caffeine, a nervous system stimulant. Drinking coffee on a daily basis can offer multiple benefits, but you should consider the hazards of caffeine before starting this diet.

Function of Antioxidants

Some types of lettuce contain high amounts of vitamin C and beta-carotene. In "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," nutrition expert Jonny Bowden says lettuce with darker-colored leaves has more beta-carotene and vitamin C than paler versions. Bowden says romaine and Boston lettuce have three times as much vitamin C and much more beta-carotene than iceberg lettuce. Vitamin C and beta-carotene act as powerful antioxidants in your diet because they protect your cells from "free radicals." Free radicals are harmful substances such as pesticides, preservatives, additives, pollution and smoke.

Benefits of Fiber

There are dozens of varieties of lettuce to choose for your diet, including butterhead, Boston, Bibb, iceberg, loose-leaf, Mache and romaine. All types of lettuce are high in fiber. According to the Reader's Digest Association, fiber passes through the digestive tract while absorbing liquid along the way. The result is that stools become softer and bulkier and easier to expel through the colon. According to the University of California at Berkeley, this quick passage helps prevent constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis and hemorrhoids.

Considerations

In "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," Bowden suggests that salad greens such as arugula, chicory, escarole, spinach and watercress are more nutritious than lettuce. Bowden claims that these varieties contain higher amounts of essential minerals such as calcium and iron. Calcium is needed in your diet to build and maintain healthy bones, teeth, nerves, muscles and other tissues. Iron plays a role in the transportation and storage of oxygen.

Benefits of Coffee

Caffeine is the main ingredient in coffee that acts as a stimulant. A small amount of caffeine in your diet can have beneficial effects. According to the Reader's Digest Association, the stimulant increases metabolism so your body can break down and burn fatty acids. For this reason, caffeine is a common ingredient in many diet pills. Athletes drink coffee before performance because it forces muscles to tighten, which increases muscle strength. Other benefits of coffee include increasing mental faculty, reducing asthma symptoms, improving breathing and controlling weight.

Dangers of Caffeine

The American Dietetic Association recommends drinking no more than 2 cups of coffee a day. Caffeine can become a problem in your diet if you consume an excessive amount. In "The Detox Diet," author Elson M. Haas says that as your body gets used to caffeine, it can become addicted to the stimulant. Symptoms and problems associated with drinking too much caffeine include headaches, irritability, sleeplessness, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and nausea.