Lettuce health benefits weight loss
Besides filling you up, fiber improves your digestion. Like all whole foods, much of this protein is complete, but the amount can be increased by combining with balancing proteins. I like to put romaine lettuce in my green smoothies. Of course, lettuce has no refined or white sugars and the host of problems that come with them. Avoid salad greens that are wilted or have brown-edged or slimy leaves. Researchers are uncovering other important contributions folic acid has to offer to your well-being, like its role in the prevention of heart disease and inflammation. Seventeen times the vitamin A (Nutritional data originally from USDA SR-21). A dark-green color also indicates the presence of folic acid, which helps prevent neural-tube birth defects in the beginning stages of pregnancy. Yet a heavy hand with dressing will increase the calorie count of even the healthiest salad. It takes two cups of raw greens to equal one cup of veggies, according to the Guidelines. Foods with low glycemic indexes are great for anyone watching their blood sugars for medical reasons, or for weight management. Animal Welfare Human Rights LGBT Womens Rights Care2 Team Blog About Us x INBOX ( ) send new. Lettuce has only 12 calories for one shredded cup. When the body replaces these salts it breaks down cholesterol to do so. Lettuce has an average glycemic index of 15, but because it has so few calories, its glycemic load is considered zero. Discover all the benefits and history of this amazing Powerfood, and a few dietary concerns. As an antioxidant, it battles certain cancers, heart disease, and cataracts. Red and green leaf lettuce is more nutritional than iceberg. Still, eaten before a meal, a salad can take the edge off hunger, while filling your stomach with its bulk. Most salad greens are also notable sources of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. This should curb your appetite enough to modulate overindulgence for the rest of the meal.
Romaine has one of the highest nutritional values in the lettuce category. Once you are balanced on this level there are a host of benefits including greater energy, clearer thinking, deep restful sleep, and youthful skin. They should have vivid color, and leaves should be firm. Chicory is a good source of vitamin C, another antioxidant nutrient linked to prevention of heart disease, cancer, and cataracts. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating about 2 cups of vegetables each day. Though Romaine provides decent nutrition, iceberg lettuce does not, so to make the ultimate fat-fighting salad, use plenty of leafy greens. Wonderfully flavored greens like raddichio, arugula, endive, chicory, and escarole make a salad stand out in taste and nutrition. The darker the color of the salad green, the more nutritious it is. Beta-carotene is the chief disease-fighting nutrient found in the darker-colored greens. Fiber also helps remove bile salts from the body. Iceberg lettuce, on the other hand, has the lowest nutrition. The general rule is: Choose red, green and dark colored foods over whites. Suggestion: Choose romaine lettuce if you can instead of iceberg. The white fluid that you see when you break or cut lettuce leaves is called lactucarium. Some greens back up their fat-fighting bulk with a decent amount of fiber. When fighting off pounds, fiber can curb your appetite by filling you up faster. Improving your digestion may not sound like a good thing for losing weight, but it is actually essential for long term weight control. This is why it is so good for weight loss. Some salad greens, including arugula and watercress, are members of the cruciferous family, adding more ammunition to the fight against cancer.
