Nutritional Value Of Romaine Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce belongs to the family of Asteraceae, which includes a variety of lettuce like Iceberg, Looseleaf, Summer Crisp, Butterhead and Chinese Lettuce. Its scientific name is Lactuca sativa, which has been derived from the Latin word that means ‘milk’. It owes this scientific name to the fact that its leaves exude a milky liquid when they are broken. Romaine lettuce is extremely low in calories, but very high in water content. It is a highly nutritious food, rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, manganese, chromium, beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber. It is widely used for making salad, especially the Caesar salads. It also makes a great treat with sandwiches. It has a slight bitter taste, for which it is also used as the bitter herb in the Passover Seder. In order to help you know more about the nutritional value of Romaine lettuce, we have listed its Food Rating Chart below. It will give you an idea about the different nutrients present in the lettuce, which are highly beneficial to the body.

Romaine Lettuce Nutrition Facts

Amount of Romaine lettuce: 1 leaf (inner)

Total Weight of Romaine Lettuce: 6 grams

Nutrients	Amount
Basic Components
Protein	0.1 g
Carbohydrates	0.2 g
Water	5.7 g
Calories
Total Calories	4.2 KJ
Calories From Fat	0.8 KJ
Calories From Carbohydrate	2.9 KJ
Calorie From Protein	0.8 KJ
Carbohydrates
Dietary Fiber	0.1 g
Sugars	0.1 g
Glucose	23.4 mg
Fructose	48.0 mg
Vitamins
Vitamin A	523 IU
Vitamin A Retinol Activity Equivalent Beta Carotene	26.2 mcg 314 mcg
Vitamin C	1.4 mg
Lutein +Zeaxanthin	139 mcg
Folate	8.2 mcg
Food Folate	8.2 mcg
Dietary Folate Equivalents	8.2 mcg
Vitamin K Choline	6.2 mcg 0.6 mg
Minerals
Calcium	2.0 mg
Iron	0.1 mg
Magnesium	0.8 mg
Phosphorus	1.8 mg
Potassium	14.8 mg
Sodium	0.5 mg
Saturated Fats
16:0	2.1 mg
18:0	0.3 mg
Mono Unsaturated Fats
16:1 Undifferentiated	0.2 mg
18:1 Undifferentiated	0.5 mg
Poly Unsaturated Fats
18:2 Undifferentiated	2.8 mg
18:03	6.8 mg
Other Fats
Omega 3 Fatty Acids	6.8 mg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids	2.8 mg
Amino Acids
Alanine	3.4 mg
Arginine	3.2 mg
Aspartic acid	8.3 mg
Cystine	0.4 mg
Glutamic acid	10.7 mg
Glycine	2.9 mg
Histidine	1.3 mg
Isoleucine	2.7 mg
Leucine	4.6 mg
Lysine	3.8 mg
Methionine	0.9 mg
Phenylalanine	3.9 mg
Proline	2.7 mg
Serine	3.0 mg
Threonine	2.6 mg
Tryptophan	0.6 mg
Tyrosine	1.5 mg
Valine	3.3 mg

Buying & Storing Tips

While buying Romaine lettuce, always look for the fresh ones, which have no wilted leaves and slim or dark spots.
Make sure that the edges of Romaine lettuce leaves have no brown or yellow discoloration. In addition, go for ones whose compact heads and stem ends are not too brownish.
In order to store the lettuce for a longer period, wash and dry it before keeping in the refrigerator. You can use a salad spinner for drying the lettuce. This will help in removing excess moisture from the lettuce and thus make it stay fresh in the refrigerator for longer time.
Always wrap the lettuce in either a plastic bag or a wet cloth and then keep in the refrigerator. It remains fresh in the refrigerator for five to seven days.
Keep the lettuce far from ethylene-producing fruits, like apples, bananas and pears, as they can make its leaves turn brownish.

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