Fruits contain seeds in them, while the rest of the plant is a vegetable. Botanists classify fruits and vegetables from the part of the plant they come from. Since tomato is a fruit botanically, you might wonder how about lettuce? Is lettuce a vegetable or a fruit?
Yes, vegetables are grouped based on what part of it is used for food. In this aspect, lettuce is considered a leaf vegetable.
In this post, we will look at the reasons why lettuce is a vegetable, what kind of vegetable lettuce is, and the many types of lettuce.
Is Lettuce a Vegetable or a Fruit?
Lettuce is a vegetable! Vegetables are fresh edible portions of certain herbaceous plants, such as roots, stems, flowers, fruits, or seeds. On the other hand, fruits are mature ovaries of a plant.
Like I mentioned earlier, vegetables are by the edible part of the plant. For example, leaves (lettuce), roots (carrot), stalks (celery), tubers (potato), and flowers (broccoli), bulbs (onion).
In addition, a tomato is botanically a fruit but is famously known as a vegetable. Any product that has seeds embedded in it is a fruit, just as we have oranges, berries and mangoes.
Why is Lettuce is Considered a Vegetable?
Lettuce is a vegetable because it is a portion of freshly edible plants. It doesn't grow from an ovary as fruit does. Besides that, it has a lush nature. A vegetable also includes the stem, root and flower of a plant.
Many people grow lettuce for its stems and seeds; they use the green leaves as wraps, salads and even in sandwiches. It has a lot of medicinal significance in history as well.
What Kind of Vegetable is Lettuce?
Lettuce is an annual vegetable, also called Lactuca sativa, of the Asteraceae family and classifies as a leafy vegetable; many people use lettuce as a base for their salads.
Leafy vegetables contain about 80-95% of water, and lettuce contains 95% of water. Studies have shown that green vegetables are vital sources of vitamins and minerals to the human body.
Is Lettuce Good For You?
Lettuce is great for you, and it does wonders for your body. What does it do? Lettuce provides the body with valuable nutrients such as vitamin A, which helps fight ailments and infections.
It's also rich in vitamin C and folate, and vitamin K, which helps the human body develop healthy bones. Green leafy vegetables have higher levels of antioxidants.
Trying to lose some pounds? You should add lettuce to your detox smoothie. It has low-calorie content and is high in nutrients, a perfect way to lose weight and still stay healthy.
Many people consume lettuce worldwide, and you can enjoy it in salads, soups, sandwiches and wraps. This green leafy vegetable can also be grilled into preparing different delicacies.
Now that you know the different uses of lettuce let's consider the major types of lettuce.
Types of Lettuce
1. The Arugula Lettuce
The Italian cress or a salad rocket is also known as the Italian cress or a salad rocket; the Arugula Lettuce has a distinct taste.
You can use this lettuce in preparing bold salads and even some kinds of pasta. This lettuce can be blended and used as a spread. People call it Italian cress or a salad rocket.
2. Coral Lettuce
The coral Lettuce tastes heavenly in a sandwich. Besides its great taste, the coral lettuce has a bright green color, and it is famous for its fancy leaves that double as a salad decorator.
You can't miss the coral lettuce in a bowl of Chinese fish porridge or lettuce bean curd.
3. Butter Head Lettuce
The butterhead lettuce is so beautiful. It has such a unique arrangement of leaves, like a beautiful flower.
People also call this lettuce butter or cabbage lettuce, and this is the most expensive kind of lettuce. It is smooth as butter in its texture hence the name - Butterhead lettuce.
4. Ice Berg Lettuce
As the name implies, this vegetable grows during winter. It is one of the most consumed lettuces in the world today.
It is very crunchy and very affordable; this plant is nutritious despite being low in fibre. The iceberg lettuce contains vitamin C, folate and calcium.
5. Romaine Lettuce
This is absolutely a favorite for detox smoothie lovers; it is a nutrition filled vegetable. Romaine Lettuce has a neutral taste; it is high in vitamins, minerals and low in calories, sugar, and carbohydrates.
6. Radicchio Lettuce
Many in Italy love the Radicchio Lettuce. This lettuce makes people ask, is lettuce a vegetable? Why?
Because this lettuce has a dark reddish color with white veins, it is often mistaken for a cabbage because of the round wrapped leaves shape. Radicchio is rich in vitamin E, folate and vitamin K as well.
Whether you're on a weight loss or wellness journey, lettuce is an excellent choice of vegetable you want to add to your diet, from salads, sandwiches, detox smoothies, burgers and soups.
When next, someone asks if lettuce is a vegetable, I am confident you will excitedly point out the different types of lettuces and their benefits as vegetables.
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