One cup of lettuce costs you few calories, but it can provide a big nutritional punch. Choose darker-colored varieties to maximize your nutrient intake. Lettuce is a food you can eat in large volumes without fear of weight gain.
Calories and Macronutrients
One cup of shredded lettuce contains between five and 10 calories. Green leaf lettuce contains the least amount of calories, while iceberg contains the most. All lettuces contain only trace amounts of fat and protein. You get 1 gram of carbs in each cup of lettuce.
Vitamins
One cup of green leaf lettuce contains 2,665 international units of vitamin A. The daily value for this vitamin essential to healthy eyesight is between 2,333 and 3,000 international units. Romaine contains even more vitamin A per cup, with 4,094 international units, while iceberg comes in with only 361 international units. Lettuce also provides vitamin C with 6.5 mg in a cup of green leaf, 11.3 mg in a cup of romaine and only 2 mg in a cup of iceberg. You should aim for between 75 and 90 mg of this antioxidant vitamin important to tissue repair daily. Vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting, is prevalent in lettuce. A cup of green leaf contains 62.5 micrograms; 1 cup of romaine contains 48 micrograms; and 1 cup of iceberg contains 17 micrograms. The daily value for this vitamin is 90 to 120 micrograms daily. Iceberg contains more folate than romaine or green leaf, with 20 micrograms per cup. Folate is important to energy production and in preventing certain birth defects.
Minerals
Lettuce contains small amounts of several minerals. One cup provides about 13 mg to 15 mg of calcium, only about 1 percent of the 1,000 mg recommended daily. Lettuce also provides a small amount of iron, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium. Green leaf lettuce has 70 mg of potassium per cup, making it a low-potassium food. Both romaine and iceberg offer around 100 mg of this mineral which helps regulate your fluid and mineral balance. High-potassium foods contain more than 200 mg per serving.
Considerations
If you are on a blood-thinning medication, speak to your doctor about consuming dark lettuces containing high amounts of vitamin K. The lettuce may interfere with the function of your medication. While lettuce is low in calories, adding fatty dressings and toppings, such as cheese and bacon, can make your healthy salad a diet disaster.
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