What are the disadvantages of eating raw lettuce?
Raw lettuce is incredibly nutritious. One cup of lettuce provides 94% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K, which is crucial for blood clotting and bone formation.
Lettuce is considered a superfood.
However, according to Heather Anita Garcia, a nutritionist based in Los Angeles, some of these nutrients are encapsulated within fibrous cell walls, meaning our intestines have to work harder to absorb them.
Expert Garcia explains: When lettuce is eaten raw, some nutrients hidden within the cell walls remain intact and pass through our intestines without being absorbed, according to the health magazine Verywell Health .
Is lettuce better raw or cooked?
Cooking lettuce can make it easier to digest. However, cooking can reduce the antioxidant and mineral content in lettuce.
Another advantage is that raw lettuce can fight certain types of cancer. According to research published in 2021 in the scientific journal Cancer Epidemiology, raw lettuce has a stronger effect in reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer than cooked lettuce.
Gently crush the lettuce leaves to help break down the fibrous walls and reduce their bitterness.
The best way to eat lettuce
Expert Garcia reveals: To overcome the drawbacks of eating raw lettuce, you can gently crush the leaves to help break down the fibrous walls. Crushing the lettuce can also reduce its bitterness. Therefore, this may be the best way to enjoy lettuce, according to Verywell Health .
Dr. Sherry Gray, a nutritionist at the University of Connecticut (USA), says: If you prefer cooked lettuce, don't boil it; steam it instead.
When boiled, heat destroys the antioxidants and vitamin C in lettuce.
According to Dr. Gray, steaming is better than boiling because it doesn't cause as much loss of nutrients.
However, according to Verywell Health , expert Garcia believes that eating lettuce raw or cooked is equally good for your health.
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