Lettuce

There are many kinds of lettuce grown in Florida. The most popular varieties include escarole, endive, romaine, curly parsley and Chinese cabbage. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers.

Did You Know?

• The darker the lettuce leaves are, the higher the nutrient content is.
• The spine and ribs of lettuce provide dietary fiber, while vitamins and minerals are located in the leaf portion.
• One cup of shredded romaine lettuce has fewer than 10 calories!
• The months with the highest production of Florida lettuces are January and February.

Shopping, Preparing and Storing

• Keep unwashed lettuces in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper for up to three days.
• When making salads ahead of time, put a damp paper towel over the salad to help keep it fresh.
• Always wash lettuce before eating.

Cooking Tips

• Lettuce flavors well with vinaigrettes, pecans, cheese, citrus, thyme, basil, dill and sage.
• A salad spinner is a great tool to keep rinsed lettuce from becoming soggy.
• Wait until the last minute to add dressing or vinaigrette to salads.

Lettuce Nutrition

Serving size: 1 cup 

Calories: 8; Total Fat: 0 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Total Carbohydrates: 2 g; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 10 mg

Download a flyer to print about Florida  lettuces [ 2.9 MB ] .