Buzz
Isn't it maddening that even lettuce, of all things, might be putting our health at risk? I've got a fix for that. Toss the romaine, ditch the iceberg while you're at it. Lettuce is a joke. It always has been. Here's why:
It's mostly water
Let’s begin with nutrition. Lettuce doesn’t really offer much. You might assume it’s healthy because there’s so much of it in your salad, and it’s technically a vegetable, right? But take a closer look: a serving of romaine weighs 85 grams, and 80 grams of that is just water. The rest? A meager two grams of fiber – far from the 25 grams or more we should be getting daily.
But surely it has vitamins? Sure, it does, but not much compared to the other ingredients in your salad. Romaine provides your full daily value of vitamins A and K, but that’s equivalent to the amount in a quarter-cup of shredded carrots for vitamin A, and a few sprigs of parsley for vitamin K. Both of which, by the way, taste better.
Iceberg lettuce is essentially a waste: it offers only one gram of fiber per serving, with its vitamins barely covering a fraction of your daily needs. It's probably best just discarded—nothing of value is lost.
If you’re under the impression that iceberg lettuce is hydrating because it’s ‘mostly water,’ think again. That entire bowl provides just two ounces of water. Instead, drink a bit more from your glass—it'll do the job.
Salads can thrive without iceberg lettuce.
Let’s imagine a scenario: you remove the lettuce from your salad. What’s left? A nutritious meal filled with veggies, legumes, grains, and other tasty, wholesome ingredients—or if it’s a Caesar salad, just cheese, breadcrumbs, and a pool of dressing. In the case of a side salad, you might only have a few drops of vinaigrette and a lonely cherry tomato.
This explains why you’re often still hungry after eating a salad at lunch: you didn’t actually consume much. You were simply tricked into feeling full, chewing through a pile of mostly-water lettuce. Try preparing your salads without lettuce, and experience the difference of genuinely filling vegetables.
