Romaine lettuce is most commonly known as the staple ingredient in a Caesar salad. It is naturally low in calories, virtually fat-free and full of vitamin A. While romaine lettuce has some benefits for your balanced diet, other types of salad greens provide even more nutrients per serving. Substitute all or half of your romaine lettuce, in your next salad, for another type of lettuce that offers more nutrients per serving.
Nutritional Breakdown of Romaine
A serving of romaine lettuce is about six whole leaves, which is a little less than 3 oz. This serving size provides about 20 calories, more than half of which comes from carbohydrates. A few calories come from protein, while just a trace amount of calories stem from fat. Romaine lettuce also provides about 1 g of fiber per serving, helping you reach the recommended 25 to 38 g of fiber daily, reports the Mayo Clinic. The only major nutrient in romaine lettuce is vitamin A, which is best known for keeping your eyes healthy and vision strong. Women need 700 mcg of vitamin A daily, while men require 900 mcg. One serving of romaine lettuce provides more than 430 mcg of vitamin A.
Spinach
Spinach is a versatile nutritional substitute for romaine lettuce, since it is just as delicious cooked as it is raw. A 2-cup serving of raw spinach is equivalent to 1 cup of sauteed or boiled spinach. This single serving of spinach offers 14 calories, about half from carbohydrates and half from protein, with only trace amounts coming from fat. You also increase your fiber intake by nearly 0.5 g, as compared to romaine. Spinach is full of calcium, a mineral you need to keep your bones and teeth strong, as well as iron, which helps transport oxygen through your bloodstream. You need 1,000 mg of calcium daily and women need 18 mg of iron, while men only require 8 mg of iron, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. A single serving of spinach contains about 60 mg of calcium and 1.6 mg of iron.
Mesclun Mix
Mesclun mix is an assortment of baby salad greens often containing arugula, watercress, chervil, endives and baby spinach. Nutrition in mesclun mix may vary slightly based on the exact types of greens in your mixture, but generally nutrients are similar. A 2-cup serving of mesclun mix provides a minimal 15 calories, with about 75 percent of the calories stemming from carbohydrates. The remaining few calories come from protein and a trace amount of fat. Additionally, mesclun mix provides about twice the fiber of romaine lettuce. Mesclun mix is full of vitamin C; just 2 cups provide about 30 mg of vitamin C. This water-soluble vitamin is best known for keeping your immune system strong, but it also helps form collagen, which is a structural component of cells and veins. Each day, women need 75 mg of vitamin C and men require 90 mg. Mesclun mix also offers about the same amount of vitamin A found in romaine lettuce.
Radicchio
Radicchio leaves come from chicory, a root vegetable, and have a rich, robust flavor. Making a salad with 10 radicchio leaves provides 18 calories, about 80 percent of the calories come from carbs, with the remaining coming mainly from protein and a minimal amount from fat. Radicchio leaves are a beneficial nutritional substitute for romaine lettuce because they are full of vitamin K. This vitamin is essential for blood clotting; without it even the smallest cut could not form a scab. Women need 90 mcg of vitamin K daily and women need 120 mcg, according to the University of Maryland. A serving of radicchio leaves provides more than 200 mcg of vitamin K.
Member Comments