Lettuce is very low in fat and calories, yet contributes to your recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables. Salads based on lettuce are often a staple of restricted diets aimed at weight loss. If you find lettuce boring, there are many different types for use in salads, sandwiches and snacks. Healthy salad dressings can also help change things up if lettuce is a regular part of your diet. Consult your doctor before making significant dietary changes.
Calories and Fat
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s standard nutrient database indicates that every 100-gram serving of iceberg lettuce – 3.5 ounces or a large salad portion – contains 14 calories and 0.1 gram of fat. These nutritional values are very similar to those for butterhead, romaine, green-leaf and red-leaf lettuce. Overall, lettuce is one of the lowest-calorie foods available. This is why diets based on calorie restriction for weight-loss often include lettuce.
Vitamins and Minerals
Most lettuce leaves contain a range of vitamins and minerals in relatively small quantities. According to MayoClinic.com, the vitamin and mineral content varies in different types of lettuce. For example, the leaves of romaine lettuce are richer in vitamins C and A, calcium and folate than those of iceberg lettuce. Lettuce leaves are generally very low in sodium, which is present in most foods and can cause high blood pressure when consumed in large quantities.
Phosphorus
Lettuce leaves of all varieties are typically low in phosphorus, unlike many foods. A low-phosphorus diet can be helpful in managing kidney disease. Urologist Dr. Erik P. Castle, writing for MayoClinic.com, suggests that patients with kidney problems consume lettuce in place of phosphorus-heavy vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, broccoli and asparagus. Other low-phosphorus vegetable alternatives include beets, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, peppers, onions, summer squash and tomatoes.
Minimal Nutritional Value
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines foods of minimal nutritional value as those containing less than 5 percent of the recommended daily intake for eight specific nutrients, including protein. This 5 percent must be in a standard serving size, or in the portion of a food that provides 100 calories. A 100-calorie portion of red lettuce leaves contains 8.3 grams of protein, meeting the cutoff for a food of above minimal nutritional value. However, this portion size would weigh 625 grams, a larger portion size than most people would eat in a day. If lettuce is a significant part of your diet, always get sufficient daily protein, vitamins and minerals from other sources.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23
- BMI Calculator: Calorie Intake to Lose Weight
- MayoClinic.com; Recipe: Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken; October 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Low Phosphorus Diet: Best for Kidney Disease?; Erik P. Castle, M.D.; August 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Sodium: How to Tame Your Salt Habit Now; March 2011
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Making It Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories; 2007
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