Romaine lettuce, a common ingredient in Caesar salad, has dark outer leaves and a crispy texture. Like other types of lettuce, romaine lettuce contains very few calories. Romaine lettuce contains higher amounts of nutrients than some other common lettuces, such as iceberg lettuce.
Calories and Fat
A 1 cup serving of chopped, raw romaine lettuce contains only 10 calories and no fat, cholesterol or sodium. MayoClinic.com classifies foods such as lettuce as low energy density foods, meaning they have few calories in a large volume. Choosing low energy density foods allows you to fill up without eating too many calories, helping you control your appetite and maintain a healthy weight.
Carbohydrates
A 1 cup serving of chopped romaine lettuce contains only 2 g of carbohydrates, including 1 g of dietary fiber and 1 g of sugar. Dietary fiber, a non-digestible complex carbohydrate, plays a role in healthy digestion and provides a feeling of fullness that can help you control your appetite. Diets rich in dietary fiber may reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, diverticulitis and constipation, says the Harvard School of Public Health.
Protein
Romaine lettuce contains a small amount of protein. A 1 cup serving contains 1 g of protein. Plant-based protein sources provide incomplete proteins, meaning they lack one or more essential amino acids. Eat romaine lettuce with a whole grain such as whole wheat bread. Whole grains provide complementary incomplete proteins, allowing your body to assemble complete proteins.
Vitamins and Minerals
A 1 cup serving of raw Romaine lettuce provides 70 percent of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A, an essential nutrient for vision, immune function and healthy skin. This serving of romaine lettuce also provides 20 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C, a nutrient that helps heal wounds and maintain tooth and gum health. A 1 cup serving of romaine lettuce also provides 2 percent of your recommended daily calcium intake and 4 percent of your recommended daily iron intake. By comparison, a 10-calorie serving of iceberg lettuce provides only 6 percent of your recommended daily vitamin A and vitamin C.
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