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Information on Which Lettuces Are Healthier

When spring and summer come around, we want to spend more time outdoors, soak up the sun and eat fresh food. Soups, stews and casseroles trade places with barbecues, salads and fresh fruits. Salads become common side dishes or even main meals as we are looking for fresher, healthier alternatives. To figure out how to get as much nutrients as possible, be sure to pick lettuces containing the highest levels of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

  1. Romaine Lettuce

    • Romaine lettuce is by far the best choice of lettuce for its nutritional contents. One cup of romaine lettuce contains only 8 calories and 1g each of sugar, fiber and protein, and packs in 82 percent of your daily requirements of vitamin A. Vitamin A is valuable for the health of your eyes, immune system, bones and vital organs. Romaine lettuce is also an excellent source of vitamin C, containing 19 percent of the daily requirement, and a good source of folate with 16 percent of the daily requirement. On top of it all, romaine lettuce provides up to 10 times more beta carotene than iceberg lettuce, almost as much as spinach. The combination of low sugar and high vitamins and minerals makes romaine lettuce one of the healthiest vegetables.

    Leaf Lettuce

    • If this was a race, leaf lettuce would come as a close second in the running for most nutritional lettuce. It's slightly lower in calories than romaine lettuce -- 5 calories per cup -- and has zero sugar, but also contains less fiber and protein. Leaf lettuce does deliver decent amounts of calcium, phosphorous, potassium, manganese and vitamins A and C. Leaf lettuces include the green-leaf, red-leaf and butterhead types.

    Iceberg

    • In most restaurants, you will be served iceberg lettuce. Although it is the most commonly used lettuce in the food industry, it is also the type of lettuce that has the least amount of nutritional benefits. It contains more calories per cup than other lettuces -- 10 -- and has only very little amounts of vitamins and minerals, with none exceeding 10 percent of your daily requirements. Iceberg lettuce is so low in nutritional value because it is mainly made of water, which means that it still is good for you even if it doesn't pack in as many nutrients as other types of lettuce.

    Arugula

    • Technically, arugula is not a type of lettuce and is classified as an herb. Many restaurants and people at home have been replacing their lettuce of choice with this fresh herb in their salads and sandwiches. Higher-end restaurants serve arugula rather than lettuce in their salads, or will mix it in with other types of lettuce to add a different flavor. Arugula is lightweight in calories and contains no fiber or protein. This herb packs in a good portion of vitamins and minerals, but not to levels that compete with romaine or leaf lettuce. One of the main benefits of adding arugula to your diet is that it changes the flavor of your salads by making them peppery and zesty.

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