Lettuce

Introduction

Lettuce (scientific name: Lactuca sativa L. var. angustana Irish.), also known as lettuce, is a variety of lettuce species in the genus Lactuca of the Asteraceae family that can form fleshy tender stems. It is an annual or biennial herb. Other names include stem lettuce, lettuce shoots, green bamboo shoots, and lettuce. Production period: January to April. Lettuce originated from the Mediterranean coast and was introduced to China around the fifth century. [1] The aboveground stems are edible. The stem bark is white-green and the stem flesh is tender and crisp. The young stems are emerald green and turn white-green when mature. The fleshy tender stems are mainly edible and can be eaten raw, cold, fried, dried or pickled. The young leaves can also be eaten. The stems and leaves contain lettuce (C11H14O4 or C22H36O7). It tastes bitter and has analgesic effects. Lettuce has strong adaptability and can be cultivated in spring and autumn or overwintering. It is mainly cultivated in spring and harvested in summer.

Lettuce is also called stem lettuce, lettuce, green asparagus, lettuce. The nutritional value of lettuce is rich in vitamin C, phosphorus and calcium. The methods of cooking lettuce include shredded lettuce, fried lettuce with meat, smooth meat lettuce, salty lettuce, lettuce and tomatoes, stir-fried lettuce slices, lettuce with pork ribs, lettuce with ginger juice, braised lettuce with pork, shredded beef lettuce, lettuce with shrimp, scallion oil lettuce, lettuce with mushrooms, lettuce fried with lily, lettuce stewed with pork ribs, and fried fresh lettuce.

Nutritional value of lettuce

Lettuce is rich in nutrients, especially in the leaves. Every 500 grams of fresh lettuce leaves (in Beijing) contain 10 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat, 16.5 grams of carbohydrates, 190 milligrams of calcium, 185 milligrams of phosphorus, 5.5 milligrams of iron, 10.7 milligrams of carotene, 0.6 milligrams of vitamin B2, and 75 milligrams of vitamin C. However, the content in the stems is much lower. Every 500 grams of lettuce stems contain only 1.5 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, and 4.7 grams of carbohydrates, and the content of carotene and vitamin C is very low.

The edible part is 62%. Every 100g contains 59kJ of energy, 95.5g of water, 1g of protein, 0.1g of fat, 0.6g of dietary fiber, 2.2g of carbohydrates, 150μg of carotene, 25μg of retinol equivalent, 0.02mg of thiamine, 0.02mg of riboflavin, 0.5mg of niacin; 4mg of vitamin C, 0.19mg of vitamin E, 212mg of potassium, 36.5mg of sodium, 23mg of calcium, 19mg of magnesium, 0.9mg of iron, 0.19mg of manganese, 0.33mg of zinc, 0.07mg of copper, 48mg of phosphorus, and 0.54μg of selenium. The edible part of its leaves is 89%. Every 100g contains 75 kJ of energy and 13mg of vitamin C, which is significantly higher than the stem. Therefore, from a nutritional point of view, the habit of eating lettuce stems instead of leaves should be changed.

The efficacy and function of lettuce

Children eating more lettuce is very beneficial to their growth and development. Eating 200 grams of lettuce leaves a day can meet the need for carotene, and eating 500 grams of lettuce leaves can meet the need for vitamin C. In addition, it is rich in phosphorus and calcium, which is very beneficial for promoting the normal development of bones, preventing rickets, and helping normal teeth growth; lettuce leaves have a certain therapeutic effect on heart disease, kidney disease, neurasthenia, hypertension, etc. Eating lettuce leaves regularly is beneficial to vascular tension, improving myocardial contractility, and strengthening diuresis. Lettuce is suitable for patients with urinary obstruction, hematuria and edema, diabetes and obesity, neurasthenia, hypertension, arrhythmia, and insomnia; it is also suitable for women with postpartum milk deficiency or milk obstruction; it can be eaten after drinking to relieve alcohol; it is better for children and adolescents to eat during their growth and development period.

Side effects and contraindications of romaine lettuce

Children with ADHD, people with eye diseases, gout, spleen and stomach deficiency, diarrhea and loose stools should not eat lettuce. Ordinary people should not eat lettuce excessively or frequently, otherwise they will have a poisoning reaction of dizziness and drowsiness, leading to night blindness or other eye diseases. If eating too much lettuce causes night blindness and eye diseases, just stop eating lettuce, and it will get better after a few days. Women during menstruation and people with cold dysmenorrhea should avoid eating cold lettuce.

How to make delicious lettuce

Shredded lettuce

Ingredients: 1 celery lettuce, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic juice, 1 tablespoon ginger juice

practice:

1. Peel the lettuce and grate it into long strips.

2. Mix well with all the seasonings.

3. Drizzle with sesame oil and the refreshing and appetizing shredded lettuce is ready.

Fried meat with lettuce

Ingredients: 200 grams of pork, one peeled lettuce, a small amount of ginger and garlic, and 3 to 4 chili peppers.

practice:

1. Dice the pepper and slice the ginger and garlic.

2. Cut the lettuce into diamond-shaped slices. Turn it over and cut it again.

3. Next, cut the meat. Separate the fat and lean parts of the meat, slice the lean meat, and also slice the fat thinly.

4. Now that all the ingredients are ready, start frying.

5. First, heat the base oil in the pot, turn down the heat and pour in the fat to refine the oil.

6. When the fat becomes translucent, add the ginger and garlic slices over high heat and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the lean meat and stir-fry.

7. When the lean meat changes color, pour in the lettuce slices and peppers, stir-fry for about one minute, add a teaspoon of refined salt, mix well, sprinkle in a small amount of cooking wine and soy sauce (dark soy sauce), stir-fry for another three minutes, add chicken essence or MSG before serving, and drizzle with sesame oil. If you like spicy food, you can also add dried peppers when frying.

Smoked lettuce

Efficacy: Smooth lettuce has the functions of nourishing the body and preventing and fighting cancer. It is an ideal recipe for teenagers.

Ingredients: lettuce (300g), pork (lean) (100g), fungus (dried) (15g), lard (refined) (30g), salt (3g), MSG (1g), cooking wine (5g), starch (pea) (10g), green onion (3g), ginger (3g), vegetable oil (50g)

practice:

1. Cut the lean pork into thin slices; add appropriate amount of starch and water to mix well to make water starch; peel and wash the onion and ginger, cut into fine pieces and set aside; cut the lettuce into elephant eye slices, blanch them with boiling water, rinse with cold water, drain the moisture, and wash the fungus (water-soaked fungus).

2. Put the meat slices in a bowl, add 10 grams of starch and a little salt to coat them, fry them in hot oil in a hot pan, and remove them for later use.

3. Pour lard into the pot, stir-fry scallion and chopped ginger, add lettuce and fungus and stir-fry for a few times, add broth, salt and cooking wine, when it boils, add meat slices and MSG, thicken and serve.

Salty lettuce

Ingredients: 50 kg clean lettuce, 10 kg salt

practice:

1. Select ingredients and peel: Choose young lettuce and peel off the skin and roots.

2. Salting: Add 4 kg of salt to 50 kg of bamboo shoots and slowly put them into the pickling jar to prevent them from breaking. Sprinkle salt evenly every 10 cm, one layer of bamboo shoots per layer of salt. After the jar is full, sprinkle another layer of salt on top and cover it.

3. Turn over the jar: Turn over the jar once after 5-7 hours, and pour in the original brine, and turn over the jar again the next day.

4. Re-pickle: On the third day, remove all the bamboo shoots, drain the brine and re-pickle. Add 6 kg of salt for every 50 kg of bamboo shoots, put them into the jar in the same way as above, and press them tightly with stones. After 15 days of pickling, the bamboo shoots are ready.

Lettuce and tomatoes

Ingredients: 500g lettuce, 500g tomato,

Seasoning: 5g ginger, 5g salt, 10g sugar, 10g vinegar, 10g chili (red, sharp, dry), 15g sesame oil, 5g MSG

practice:

1. Remove the leaves and skin of the lettuce, wash it, cut it into thin slices diagonally, and then cut it into thin strips;

2. Put it in a clean plate and add salt to marinate for 30 minutes, filter out the seeped water, squeeze the lettuce to remove the water, and put it back in the plate;

3. Wash and cut tomatoes into shreds;

4. Wash the fresh ginger, peel it, cut it into thin strips, and sprinkle it on the shredded lettuce together with the shredded tomatoes;

5. Pour sugar and vinegar into a wok and heat over high heat. Remove from the wok after the sugar dissolves. Pour over the shredded lettuce after it cools down.

6. Soak the dried red pepper in water until soft, remove the stems and seeds, wash, cut into thin strips, and set aside;

7. Heat the wok on the fire, pour in sesame oil, and when the oil is hot, pour the chili shreds into the oil and fry;

8. When the pepper changes color, pour the oil on the lettuce while it is still hot. Quickly cover the lettuce plate with a bowl. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add MSG and mix well.

Stir-fried lettuce slices

Ingredients: one celery lettuce, some garlic, salt, soy sauce, pepper powder, chicken stock

practice:

1. One celery lettuce;

2. Cut the lettuce into thin slices and mince the garlic for later use;

3. Add oil to the wok, and fry a few peppercorns after the oil is boiling;

4. Add the lettuce slices and stir-fry for a few times;

5. Add appropriate amount of salt, soy sauce, pepper powder and chicken essence and stir-fry evenly;

6. Add the minced garlic and remove from the heat immediately after the garlic aroma comes out.

Braised pork ribs with lettuce

Ingredients: 1 fresh lettuce, half a pound of pork ribs, half a piece of ginger, some oil, some salt

practice:

1. Wash the ribs and blanch them in boiling water; peel the lettuce and cut it into rectangular cubes; cut the ginger into shreds.

2. Heat the wok and pour in cooking oil. When the oil is hot, pour in ginger and sauté until fragrant. Then pour in the spareribs and stir-fry. Stir-fry for about five to eight minutes. When the surface of the spareribs is slightly browned, add a large bowl of water (the amount of water should cover the surface of the spareribs). Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to medium-low heat, cover and simmer.

3. After simmering for about half an hour, only a small part of the soup is left in the pot. At this time, add the chopped lettuce and appropriate amount of salt, and stir-fry evenly with the ribs.

4. Transfer the lettuce and pork ribs in the wok into the casserole, cover it, and simmer over medium heat for about fifteen to twenty minutes to allow the lettuce to fully absorb the broth and become flavorful.

Ginger lettuce

Ingredients: 100 grams of lettuce, 1 piece of ginger, and appropriate amount of salt.

Production:

1. Peel off the skin of the lettuce, cut into long round pieces, blanch in boiling water and remove from the water.

2. Cut the ginger into thin strips, add appropriate amount of salt and water to make ginger juice, and mix well.

Braised pork with lettuce

Ingredients: pork belly, lettuce, salt, ginger, starch, pepper, aniseed, bay leaves, cinnamon, dried hawthorn, rice vinegar

practice:

1. Cut the pork belly with skin into 2 cm pieces.

2. 3 celery lettuces. If they are large celery lettuces, probably just one will be enough.

3. Peel the lettuce.

4. Peel the lettuce and cut it into pieces with a rolling knife for later use.

5. Add rock sugar to cold oil and cook over low heat.

6. Continue to fry slowly over low heat until the rock sugar melts.

7. When the rock sugar is completely melted and turns brown, you can add the pork belly

8. Add the pork belly and stir-fry quickly, then turn to medium heat.

9. Colored pork belly.

10. Add peppercorns, star anise and ginger slices and continue stir-frying for 6-8 minutes to release the oil from the fat.

11. Add a spoonful of dark soy sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute.

12. Add cold water, bay leaves, cinnamon, dried hawthorn and a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil.

13. After boiling, change to a casserole and stew. After boiling again in the casserole, add a large spoonful of rice vinegar.

14. After stewing in the casserole for 35 minutes, add the lettuce and stew for 78 minutes. Add water and starch over high heat until the juice is reduced.

Braised Beef Shreds with Lettuce

Ingredients: One celery lettuce, shredded beef

practice:

1. Peel the lettuce, wash and cut into shreds.

2. Marinate the beef with soy sauce, cooking wine and salt for 30 minutes.

3. Heat the pan and oil, add the shredded beef, stir-fry over high heat for one minute until the meat turns white, remove from the oil and set aside.

4. Heat a little extra oil in the pan, add chopped green onion and shredded ginger, stir-fry shredded lettuce for 2 minutes, add shredded beef and add salt until cooked.

5. Lettuce has a fresh and tender taste and a light green color, like jasper. It can be used in meat or vegetarian dishes, cold or hot, and has a crisp taste. Lettuce is afraid of saltiness, so it tastes good only when you put less salt. In addition, when blanching lettuce, you must pay attention to the time and temperature. If the blanching time is too long or the temperature is too high, the lettuce will become soft and lose its crisp taste.

Grilled shrimp with lettuce

Ingredients: 50g shrimp, 350g lettuce, 1 tablespoon seasoning oil, 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, 1/3 teaspoon each of salt and MSG, a little onion and ginger slices, and appropriate amount of starch.

practice:

1. Remove the roots, leaves and skin of the lettuce, cut into 0.3 cm thick "diamond-shaped slices", blanch them in a pot of boiling water, remove them from the water and set aside.

2. Heat the wok, add appropriate amount of base oil, add shrimp, onion, and ginger, add Shaoxing wine, add lettuce and stir-fry, then add sugar, soy sauce, salt, MSG, add a little soup, cook until the flavors are absorbed, thicken with water starch, drizzle with cooking oil, and serve.

Scallion Oil Lettuce

Ingredients: 250g lettuce. Accessories: 10g vegetable oil, 5g green onion, 5g sugar, 1g refined salt, 0.5g MSG.

practice:

1. Peel and wash the lettuce, cut into shreds, put it in a plate, add fine salt and marinate for 30 minutes, then filter out the brine.

2. Wash the green onions, cut them into chopped green onions and sprinkle them on the lettuce.

3. Pour the heated vegetable oil on the chopped green onion, then add sugar, salt and MSG and mix well.

Lettuce and Mushrooms

Ingredients: 150g fresh lettuce, 100g fresh mushrooms, 10g carrots, 10g garlic, 5g salt, appropriate amounts of sugar, MSG, oyster sauce, and wet starch, 8g vegetable oil, 1g cooked chicken oil.

practice:

1. Peel and slice the tender lettuce, remove the stems of the mushrooms and wash them, peel and slice the carrots, and slice the garlic;

2. Heat a pot and add water. When the water boils, add fresh mushrooms and oyster sauce. Simmer over low heat until cooked through. Pour out and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a clean pan, add the garlic slices and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the lettuce slices and carrot slices and stir-fry until cooked, add the mushrooms, salt, MSG, and sugar, then stir-fry over medium heat until the flavors are absorbed, thicken with wet starch, and drizzle with the cooked chicken oil.

Efficacy: High in nutrition, helpful for children's growth. Invigorating Qi and improving body's health, delaying skin aging. Shiitake mushrooms invigorate Qi and improve body's immunity, lettuce is rich in vitamin E, which delays aging. This product can soften the aging stratum corneum and improve skin aging caused by sun exposure.

Fried lily with lettuce

Ingredients: 1 celery lettuce, celery fried with lily, 1 fresh lily, a little onion, 3 grams of salt, 1 gram of sugar, 10 ml of cooking oil.

practice:

1. Wash the lettuce, peel it and cut it into strips.

2. Wash the lilies, break them into petals and set aside. Wash and cut some onions into shreds.

3. Heat the pan with cold oil and stir-fry the onion shreds, then add the lettuce, and finally add the lily and seasonings.

Lettuce stewed pork ribs

Ingredients: 1 fresh lettuce, half a pound of pork ribs, half a piece of ginger, some oil, some salt

practice:

1. Wash the ribs and blanch them in boiling water; peel the lettuce and cut it into rectangular cubes; cut the ginger into shreds.

2. Heat the wok and pour in cooking oil. When the oil is hot, pour in ginger and sauté until fragrant. Then pour in the spareribs and stir-fry. Stir-fry for about five to eight minutes. When the surface of the spareribs is slightly browned, add a large bowl of water (the amount of water should cover the surface of the spareribs). Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to medium-low heat, cover and simmer.

3. After simmering for about half an hour, only a small part of the soup is left in the pot. At this time, add the chopped lettuce and appropriate amount of salt, and stir-fry evenly with the ribs.

4. Transfer the lettuce and pork ribs in the wok into the casserole, cover it, and simmer over medium heat for about fifteen to twenty minutes to allow the lettuce to fully absorb the broth and become flavorful.

Fried fresh lettuce

Ingredients: 500 grams of lettuce, 30 grams of vegetable oil, 4 grams of fine salt, 10 peppercorns, and 3 grams of chopped green onion.

practice:

1. Remove the leaves and skin of the lettuce, wash it, cut it into 3 cm long slices from the inclined surface of the lettuce, put it in a bowl, blanch it with boiling water, cool it with cold water, and control the moisture.

2. Place the wok on the fire, heat the vegetable oil, add the peppercorns and fry until 90% cooked. Take out the peppercorns, add the chopped green onions and fry slightly, then add the lettuce, stir fry evenly, then add soy sauce and salt, stir fry evenly and serve.

Medicinal value of lettuce

1. Opening up and clearing the intestines, eliminating stagnation and relieving gas: lettuce has a fresh and slightly bitter taste, which can stimulate the secretion of digestive enzymes and increase appetite. Its milky serum can enhance the secretion of gastric juice, digestive glands and bile, thereby promoting the functions of various digestive organs. It is especially beneficial for patients with weakened digestive function, reduced acidity in the digestive tract and constipation;

2. Diuretic and lactogenic: The potassium content of lettuce is much higher than the sodium content, which is beneficial to the balance of water and electrolytes in the body, and promotes urination and milk secretion. It has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with hypertension, edema, and heart disease;

3. Strengthen the body, prevent and fight cancer: Lettuce contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, which can regulate the function of the nervous system. The organic substances it contains are rich in iron that can be absorbed by the human body, which is very beneficial for patients with iron deficiency anemia. The hot water extract of lettuce has a high inhibition rate on certain cancer cells, so it can also be used to prevent and fight cancer;

4. Relax the intestines and relieve constipation: Lettuce contains a lot of plant cellulose, which can promote intestinal peristalsis, clear the digestive tract, help defecation, and can be used to treat various constipation;

5. Lettuce has a high potassium content, which is beneficial for promoting urination and reducing pressure on the atrium. It is extremely beneficial for patients with hypertension and heart disease. It contains a small amount of iodine, which has a significant impact on people's basic metabolism, mental and physical development, and even emotional regulation. Therefore, lettuce has a calming effect. Regular consumption helps to eliminate tension and help sleep. Unlike ordinary vegetables, it contains a very rich amount of fluorine, which can participate in the growth of teeth and bones. It can improve the digestive system and liver function. It stimulates the secretion of digestive juices, promotes appetite, and helps to resist rheumatic diseases and gout.