Salad leaves: benefit and harm, composition and properties

From the specialists' point of view, leaf lettuce is one of the most ancient, often consumed and most useful plants in the world. This product is not only nutritious, but also has medicinal properties. Among all low-calorie products, lettuce is in the first place. Lettuce leaves, cabbage lettuce, iceberg, rukkola , chinese cabbage, cabbage and pepper - there are a lot of names and kinds of lettuce, but none of them will not give up their palm to other food products for a small amount of calories and a high content of nutrients.

Today we would like to talk about the topic: "Lettuce leaves: benefit and harm", to discuss important issues related to the properties of the product, its composition, calories, medicinal qualities, contra-indications, etc.

Salad leaves are a universal product. Its useful properties

To begin it would be desirable from a theme "Leaves of salad: advantage and harm, useful properties". Salad leaves can be safely called a universal food. Its distinctive feature is that it is available at any time of the year. You can eat leaf salad from early spring until late autumn. He is grown on his own in the cottages in the country, bought in grocery stores. Access to the product is open all year round, and the price, depending on the season, does not change much, which saves money in the wallet and is a big plus.

Salad leaves are used not only in the form of salads, but also as a kind of light garnish for fish and meat dishes. And how beautiful the salad leaves look on the plate, actively supplementing and diluting the color spectrum of the main dish!

Salad leaves have a number of useful properties and qualities. They contain a huge amount of microelements that favorably affect the human body. Eating leaf lettuce provides normalization of the nervous system, strengthening immunity, lowering blood pressure.

Continuing the theme: "Lettuce leaves: benefit and harm, properties" I would like to note that this product is recognized as indispensable for people suffering from insomnia. The leaves contain a substance such as glycoside lactucine, which has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, has calming and relaxing properties.

A large amount of potassium contributes to the normalization of blood pressure. As a rule, the pressure rises from those who want to win extra pounds. Some dietary foods have a negative effect on the body as a whole and the cardiovascular system in particular. But lettuce leaves, the benefits and harms of which are discussed by dietitians for a long time, are recognized as safe for the heart and arteries product. In addition, thanks to low calorie, salad leaves are great for those who decide to lose weight. They can be consumed in large quantities, get a quick sense of satiety, add micronutrients and vitamins to your body. In this case, do not add any extra pounds.

Lettuce and colds

The next topic I would like to address: "Lettuce leaves: benefit and harm to the body, help in the fight against diseases." Few know, but leaf lettuce is an excellent remedy that strengthens immunity and helps cope with colds. Eating this product promotes faster recovery, easier flow of the disease, reduced manifestation of sedimentary phenomena in the bronchi, a decrease in cough, and so on.

If lettuce leaves, the benefits and harm of which we are discussing today, mixed with lemon juice, it turns out an excellent tool for strengthening immunity. By the way, they already contain a fairly large amount of vitamin C. Consuming at least once a day salad leaves with lemon juice, you can defeat the flu and SARS much faster.

Salad leaves and a wealth of vitamins

Now let's touch on the topic: "Lettuce leaves - benefit and harm - composition". The vitamin set contained in a leaf salad is quite high. For example, vitamin C, as we have already said, helps to fight against viral diseases. Vitamin K takes an active part in the work of the circulatory system. It helps regulate blood clotting. Vitamin A, which is in the product, acts favorably on the organs of vision. By the way, experts advise more often to combine green lettuce and carrots or beets. Such a combination will not only normalize the work of the optic nerves, restore vision, calm the tired eyes of the day, but also help prevent atherosclerosis.

Experts also recommend eating salad leaves for children. They contain a large amount of fluoride, calcium and potassium, as well as iron. All these substances, as you know, are simply necessary for the normal growth and development of the musculoskeletal system of the child.

Effects on the liver and digestive system

Very often doctors are not advised to eat salad leaves for patients suffering from liver and digestive tract diseases. So, the following topic for discussion: "Salad leaves: benefit and harm to the liver and digestive organs." Without a doubt, this product has a number of useful qualities and properties. However, people who suffer from liver disease, suffer from gastritis, duodenitis, colitis or duodenal ulcer, use lettuce leaves is not recommended.

Limit the eating of salad leaves also need people who have stomach problems, urolithiasis or gout.

Remember that all foods should be eaten in moderation. If you want (despite the presence of the disease) to try lettuce leaves, then try to eat a small amount of them. Do not eat them in solitary form, combine with side dishes, fish and meat dishes.

Slimming and Leaf Vegetable

For sure most of you salad leaves are associated with slimming girls. If this is so, then it's time to talk about the topic: "Lettuce leaves: health benefits and harm to the health of those who lose weight". Undoubtedly, this product is very low-calorie, it can be eaten in large quantities. But it is worth remembering the contraindications and limitations associated with the state of health. If there are none, then safely run to make salad from salad.

You did the right thing if, after dieting, you decided to consume large amounts of lettuce leaves. The benefits and harm to health here are diverse. But the positive qualities and properties are still much more than negative. If you often eat a salad, your body will not be prone to fat deposits, the accumulation of cholesterol and the appearance of cholesterol plaques. The folic acid and B vitamins contained in it will not allow this.

Also, the digestive tract is normalized. And, as you know, all those who sit on a diet, failures in this area - a phenomenon not uncommon.

By the way, lettuce leaves, good and harm, useful substances and properties of which we are discussing today, are real help to the body of slimming. They contribute to the rapid saturation and accelerated absorption of nutrients found in other foods.

List of vitamins contained in lettuce

So, we have already talked separately about those beneficial substances that are contained in salad leaves. Now let's summarize the theme: "Lettuce leaves: benefit and harm, content of vitamins", listing the main ones. Also give a brief description of the work of substances.

• Vitamin A (a positive effect on the organs of vision).
• Vitamins of group B (victory over cholesterol, strengthening of the immune system, normalization of the digestive system).
• Vitamin C (strengthening immunity in children, helping in the fight against cold and viral diseases).
• Vitamin E (help with the treatment of anemia, normalization of the work of the hematopoiesis).
• Vitamins PP, K, H (normalize lipid-fat metabolism, contribute to weight loss, reduce the risk of problems with the intestines, diarrhea).

Microelements contained in leaf salad:

• Potassium and magnesium.
• Phosphorus and calcium.
• Chlorine and sodium.
• Copper and selenium.
• Zinc and manganese.
• Iodine.
• Beta-carotene.
• The alkaloid is lactucine.
• Lutein.

Experts say that lettuce leaves are one of the few food products that have a "star" composition. They contain so many substances beneficial to human health that their use for the body is unlimited.

Benefits and harm to pregnant women

Having talked about the benefits in general, I would like to specifically address the male and female health. Let's start, perhaps, with the fair sex. We will discuss a very important topic: "Lettuce leaves during pregnancy: benefit and harm."

As you know, pregnant women should strictly follow the diet of their food and choose the right foods. Experts advise future mothers to include in the diet leaves of salad. These products have a positive effect on the normalization of the emotional state of the pregnant woman, contribute to the full and correct intrauterine development of the fetus. Included in the salad folic acid helps to avoid premature births, miscarriages and the appearance of defects in the fetus. Calcium, contained in salad leaves, helps to form a strong bone system, and protein serves as an excellent building material for the muscular system.

As a rule, pregnant women have a very violent hormonal background. So, frequent use of lettuce leaves will help its normalization and stabilization. During the riot of hormones in pregnant women spoil their nails, hair and skin. Substances contained in leaf lettuce will help to normalize the work of the sebaceous glands, negate the appearance of acne, eliminate dry skin, strengthen the nail plate, reduce hair loss, etc.

Women who have already become happy mummies should also not forget about lettuce leaves in their diet. Their constant use contributes to lactation, an increase in the amount of milk.

Salad leaves, in addition, help to fight gynecological diseases, are the prevention of the appearance of cancers in the chest.

Salad Leaves and Men's Health

As we have already said, the rich vitamin composition of the product helps in the treatment of many diseases. Men, often suffering from rapid fatigue and reduced immunity, are simply obliged to include a leaf salad in their diet.

In addition, vitamins and minerals help in the production of testosterone, reduce the risk of problems with the work of the genitourinary system, ensure the production of a sufficient amount of sperm, the flow of blood to the male sexual organ. Frequent eating of salad helps to normalize the hormonal background and eliminates problems with potency.

Men who are actively involved in sports, raise big weights and run around in the mornings, simply have to eat a green salad. A set of vitamins, included in its composition, promotes the maintenance of water metabolism, the growth and strengthening of muscle mass, weight loss.

Well, just a green leafy vegetable for balding men is irreplaceable. Infusion of leaves and salad seeds helps to get rid of baldness, to get a thick luxurious head of hear. Tincture deeply penetrates the scalp, normalizes the sebaceous glands, nourishes the roots of hair, is an excellent tool for the prevention of baldness.

Daily rate, calories

So, we have already discussed all the important topics, figured out what is the use and harm from eating leaf lettuce. It remains to talk about the daily rate and caloric content of this product.

If we talk about the nutrition of children, then children under the age of twelve are recommended to eat 50 grams of salad a day. Adults should increase this figure by half. If you do not have household kitchen scales, what can you do? Measure a finely chopped salad with cups or mugs. One hundred grammes of lettuce is a small bowl or two standard glasses, from which you drink tea in the morning.

Salad leaves are low-calorie foods. On average, one hundred grams of the product contains twelve calories. This figure can vary by several points back and forth, depending on the type of salad. A hundred grams of salad also contains about 1.5 grams of protein, 0.12 grams of fat, 2.9 grams of carbohydrates, 1.5 grams of fiber and dietary fiber, 0.7 grams of sugar. As we see, the vegetable contains a very small amount of carbohydrates and fats. All its caloric content is formed from sugar and protein.

It would seem, how a small green leaf can contain as many useful substances, vitamins, trace elements? He helps in the fight against diseases, makes complete slim, helps pregnant women during the carrying of the child, and helps young mothers in feeding the babies. The mystery of nature ... But the fact remains. Leaf salad is the most nutritious food product, mandatory for use for both children and adult men and women.