1 Corinthians 6:19-20
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
As Jesus followers, we are God’s temple and members of Christ’s body to be honoured as holy. As a result, living a healthy lifestyle has spiritual implications, providing us the opportunity to honour, worship, serve and sacrifice for God’s glory and If our body is God’s temple, then our wellness shall show His grace and one of the ways to live healthy is to eat healthy.
God has given us varieties of seed- bearing plants and vegetables and lettuce is one of the healthiest vegetables put on this planet.
Lettuce is known for its excellent nutritional profile. From fighting inflammatory diseases to improving skin and hair health, lettuce may improve health in different ways. It is a great food for scorching summers with its high water content. However, excess consumption of this green veggie may have some adverse reactions.
Lettuce is a popular vegetable used in the preparation of salad. It is eaten all over the world, most continental dishes are made up of lettuce. People also use it in decorating food. It is crispy and has green or red crimson leaves and contains essential nutrients which are beneficial to man.
Types of Lettuce
Romaine lettuce – Romaine’s long, crisp leaves are popular for making salads. It’s high in Vitamin B and vitamin K, potassium, antioxidants and vitamin A.
•Crisphead lettuce – is widely known as iceberg lettuce. It is light, crunchy and full of nutrients like vitamin B and vitamin K.
•Butter lettuce – it has soft leaves and looks similar to cabbage. It’s particularly high in iron and vitamins A and K
•Leaf lettuce has crisp, ruffled leaves. Both green and red types are high in vitamin B, manganese and vitamins A and K. Yet, red leaf lettuce is higher in antioxidants.
•Stem lettuce – is popular in Chinese cuisine. Most people eat the stem and discard its bitter leaves.
Some of the health benefits of Lettuce are:
1) Better Sleep
Lettuce has amazing sleep inducing properties. The presence of a component called lactucarium, a milky fluid in lettuce is known for its sedative and analgesic properties, which can help in inducing sleep. Simply eat a few leaves or drink some lettuce juice and it helps you to relax and sleep better.
2) Protein
Lettuce has 20 % of its calories in protein. Like all whole foods, much of the protein in lettuce is complete but that amount can be increased by combining with other proteins. You can increase protein intake by eating lettuce with beans, meats and assorted dairy products.
3) Protects Against Cancer
Lettuce is loaded with the goodness of antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lutein, lettuce has cancer fighting properties. These antioxidants present in lettuce can reduce the growth of cancer cells. Thus, adding lettuce in your diet can help fight off breast cancer cells.
4) Prevents Heart Disease
High levels of bad cholesterol in the body can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Lettuce contains Vitamin C and beta-carotene that work together to prevent the artery walls forming as plaques which can block off and break the blood flow. Thus it prevents the oxidation of cholesterol and thus protects our heart against diseases.
5) Low-Calorie Content
One cup of Lettuce contains approximately 15 calories and zero fat. The low-calorie content makes it an ideal healthy snack to munch on throughout the day or whenever you’re feeling a little hungry without any fear of accumulating calories.
6) Promote Vision Health
Lettuce is a source of vitamin A, which plays a role in eye health. Vitamin A can reduce a person’s risk of cataracts.
Romaine lettuce is also a good replacement for spinach (another veggie good for the eyes) thereby boosting eye health and preventing cataracts and other eye diseases
7) Promote Digestive Health
The fiber in lettuce promotes digestion and wards off other digestive ailments like constipation and bloating. It also may relieve stomach pain.
😎 Enhance Bone Health
Vitamins K, A and C are important in collagen production (the first step in bone formation). Lettuce is rich in all three of them. Vitamin K helps build cartilage and the connective tissues. Vitamin A helps in the development of new bone cells, the deficiency of which can lead to osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures. Vitamin C fights bone depletion, which is one of the factors of aging.
Supplementation of this vitamin reduces bone turnover and enhances bone strength.
-Lettuce is delicious as long as it is fresh.
While shopping for lettuce, you should avoid bunches that are limp, wilting, brownish or have rust, spots or holes on them.
Lettuce is a delicate vegetable and proper storage is crucial for maintaining its freshness. Storing lettuce is quite an uphill task as its leaves are prone to bruising if roughly handled. Moreover, greens do not last long. Hence, you should give up the idea of stocking lettuce for future use.
-Lettuce can be easily used along with other vegetables in burgers, sandwiches, spring rolls and wraps.
You can try using an entire head of lettuce in a smoothie. It is advisable to add the fruits and blend them first and then add lettuce leaves to the smoothie. You can make a smoothie using fruits like bananas, strawberries or mangoes in combination with an entire head of romaine lettuce.
Sources:
Realfoodforlife.com
Stylecraze.com
Healthline.com
WebMD Medical Reference
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