Lettuce is a fresh product and serves as the basis for many salads. You should never eat a head of lettuce in one go, but you can easily mix it with other lettuce leaves. In Roman times, lettuce was cooked, but nowadays we prefer fresh, crunchy raw lettuce leaves. Lettuce is an ideal side dish, snack or main meal.NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• The history of lettuce
• Made in Holland
• Lettuce
• Iceberg lettuce
• Oak leaf lettuce
• Arugula
• romaine lettuce
• Lollorosso
• Alternative vegetable such as lettuce
• Lettuce eating tips

The history of lettuce

Lettuce was first cultivated in ancient Egypt, about 5,000 years ago. It originated from plants that were used as herbs. At some point I also started eating the leaves. The lettuce plant was seen as a manifestation of the god Min and eating lettuce would ensure that one could have sex tirelessly for a long time. On the other hand, in Europe, lettuce is seen by herbalists as an anti-aphrodisiac, a nutrient that lowers libido. This paradox can be solved by the fact that after eating lettuce one can enjoy sex without being interrupted by an exhausting orgasm, allowing one to experience erotic hours for longer.

Made in Holland

Many types of lettuce have now emerged because people continued to cross-breed plants to develop new edible crops. Many types of lettuce were developed in the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time, the Netherlands was considered an important knowledge economy in the field of agriculture. More crops were grown in the Netherlands, of which the orange carrot is still the best known. The world-famous agricultural university in Wageningen is in fact an extension of the age-old knowledge of crossing and breeding seeds and crops. Lettuce is considered an important food in many cultures. In China, people traditionally eat lettuce on their birthday because it is said to bring good luck. Christopher Columbus brought lettuce on board his ship with the aim of planting it in America.Wild arugula / Source: T. Voekler, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

Lettuce

Lettuce is a healthy product. 100 grams of regular lettuce, also called butter lettuce, contains 21% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin A. The same weight contains 18% of the RDA of folic acid, which we also know as vitamin B11. In addition, it contains 5% of the RDA of vitamin C. This well-known vitamin is not only found in fruit but also in many types of leafy vegetables, kale in particular contains a large amount of vitamin C. One ounce of lettuce leaves contains 9% of the RDA of iron and 5% of the RDA of potassium, which are two important minerals. are for our body.

Iceberg lettuce

Iceberg lettuce is much firmer and crunchier than most other lettuce. It gets its name from the fact that it was transported in a mountain of ice to keep it fresh. Iceberg lettuce was developed in the 20th century in the US where it is called iceberg lettuce. In the Netherlands it has been grown in greenhouses since the 1980s.

Oak leaf lettuce

Oak leaf lettuce is a little red at the ends. It looks a bit like the leaves of the American oak. It tastes slightly nutty and is reminiscent of arugula, a type of lettuce growing wild in the Netherlands that also has a walnut-like aftertaste.

Arugula

Some time ago, arugula was a trendy lettuce. It has now become a permanent vegetable. Anyone who likes arugula lettuce with a slightly sharp taste and a nutty aroma can learn to look for arugula for themselves. It is located among the grass of many parks and green areas.Mixed green salad / Source: Chaojoker, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

romaine lettuce

Romaine lettuce is also called Romaine lettuce because the ancient Romans made lettuce popular in Europe. They adopted the custom of eating lettuce from ancient Greece, where they in turn learned it from the Egyptians.

Lollorosso

Lollorosso is a red or dark purple colored lettuce that differs little in taste from green lettuce. It looks nice; a few red lettuce leaves in a mixed lettuce.

Alternative vegetable such as lettuce

There are vegetables that are not easily thought of as eating them like lettuce. In fact, you can mix any leafy green with lettuce to create your favorite composition. Alternative salad leaves for the salad mix are: kale, chicory, endive, chard leaves, chicory leaves, dandelion leaves, nettle and plantain. The last four are of course wild vegetables and you should only pick the fresh tops or the fresh happy green leaves. For nettle, you must either blanch it or place it in cold water for ten minutes to remove the sting.

Lettuce eating tips

You can of course process lettuce into a salad. Lettuce is also delicious on bread with a slice of young or old cheese. Any type of lettuce works well as a side dish with a meal. A fresh, crispy lettuce leaf can really brighten up a simple meal. Furthermore, lettuce is the ideal snack. Toss together a few lettuce leaves, a grated carrot, some cucumber and tomato slices, add balsamic vinegar and cold-pressed olive oil, and you have a salad that tastes delicious and will keep you going for a few hours until the next meal.

read more

• The healing power of broccoli
• The healing power of peas
• The medicinal power of ground elder
• The medicinal power of clover
• The medicinal power of endive