Jessica Vargas
Iceberg lettuce is considered healthy, it stays fresh for a long time and goes well with many foods thanks to its mild taste. How healthy it is compared to other salads and what to look out for before eating it.
Whether on the salad bar, as a garnish, or on a roll: iceberg lettuce is almost ubiquitous, not least because it is considered to be very healthy. But is that? How high is the nutrient content and how heavy is the exposure to harmful substances?
The main season for German iceberg lettuce runs from May to October, while the months before and after are still the low season. In winter, the lettuce also grows in the greenhouse. Iceberg lettuce is often wrapped in plastic wrap immediately after harvest to protect the tender leaves.
Iceberg lettuce: Pay attention to this when buying and storing
When buying, you should make sure that the lettuce has no brown spots and makes a compact impression. The leaves should not fall too loosely.
One of the biggest advantages of iceberg lettuce is that it can be stored longer than many other types of lettuce. The head of lettuce will keep in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It can be stored there in the plastic wrap it is sold in. You can pick leaves as needed. Once the lettuce has been cut, it should be used within a few days.
These nutrients are in iceberg lettuce
Iceberg lettuce consists largely of water, so its vitamin content is rather low compared to other types of lettuce. Nevertheless, there are also some healthy vitamins and nutrients in the salad: 100 grams, for example, contains 15 milligrams of vitamin C, 73 micrograms of vitamin A and 53 micrograms of folic acid. Due to its low-calorie balance, it is suitable in combination with other vegetables for losing weight.
Nutritional table at a glance (100 grams of raw iceberg lettuce)
- Calories: 13
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Protein: 0.7 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
Iceberg lettuce contains pesticides and nitrate
Before eating, the iceberg lettuce must be washed thoroughly. This works best with a salad spinner. The consumer advice center also generally recommends removing the outer leaves from lettuce before eating, because they are usually more heavily contaminated with pesticides.
Like other types of lettuce, iceberg lettuce stores nitrate. After eating, this can be converted into toxic substances in the body. However, the nitrate content in iceberg lettuce is rather low compared to salads such as rocket lettuce and is therefore not of concern. Anyone who eats iceberg lettuce in normal quantities is generally not exposed to any risk.
Our conclusion: As long as it is washed thoroughly and the outer leaves are removed, iceberg lettuce is healthy – it has a positive effect on our calorie balance and provides the body with vitamin C, folic acid, and vitamin A.
