56. LETTUCE

                                                   LETTUCE

Nutrition in 100 gm
Energy: 10 kcal
Carbohydrates	2.2 gm
Dietary Fibre	1.1 gm
Fat	0.2 gm
Proteins	1.4 gm
Water	96 gm
Vit.A equ.	166 µ gm
Vit. B 9 (Foliate)	73 µ gm
Vitamin C	4 mg
Vitamin K	24 µ gm
Iron	1.2 mg

Lettuce is also called butterhead. It is grown as a leafy vegetable and is mostly eaten raw in salads. Leaf and stem are cooked to prepare so many dishes.

It is a fat free, low calorie food good for a well balanced diet. It is high in vitamin A &C and folic acid. It also contains a mild opiate like substance called lactucarium (or Lettuce opium). Due to this Romans and Egyptians used to eat lettuce at the end of a meal to induce sleep.

        The darker the colour of lettuce, the more nutritious it is.

Benefits:

1. Headache: Apply juice of lettuce mixed with rose oil to the forehead to reduce the pain.

2. Premature ejaculation: lettuce is advised for men suffering from premature ejaculation.

3. Lettuce calms the nervous system and improves the digestive system.

4. Hair: Drinking lettuce juice regularly improves the health of hair making it shining and black.

5. Obesity: Lettuce is low in calories and high in nutrition. Hence it is for people who want to reduce weight.

6. Lettuce has beta-carotene which keeps diseases away.

7. Lettuce has compounds which act as antioxidant thus reducing the risk of cancer, heart diseases and cararact.

8. Lettuce has folic acid which is good for health. It also keeps the baby growing in the stomach of pregnant ladies in good health.

9. Lettuce is good for people suffering from gout, stress, tuberculosis, ulcer, urinary track infection and sexual addiction.

10. Lettuce is good for the liver.