GOOD FOR YOU — by Pam Durkin
TRAV
The Super Lettuces
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Lettuce isn’t usually recognized as a nutritional super-food, yet some are chock full of vitamins and minerals.
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fter a winter replete with heavy comfort food, the palate yearns for salads once spring arrives. Lettuce is synonymous with salads, and while they’re generally thought of as healthy, lettuce itself has never been recognized as a nutritional “super-food.” That’s not surprising when you consider iceberg lettuce—devoid of nutrition AND flavour—is the most popular variety of lettuce in North America. But lettuce’s reputation as a nutritional lightweight is unwarranted—there are many varieties that are chock full of nutrients. To maximize the health benefits and flavour profile of your salads, try one of the following varieties; they’re all nutritional superstars.
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EAT MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2009
ROMAINE—Well-known as the key ingredient of Caesar salad, this variety of headforming lettuce is distinguished by an elongated head and long, green leaves with a crisp texture and rich taste. It also has an impressive 62.5 mg of “bonefriendly” vitamin K per cup. In addition, Romaine contains healthy doses of vitamins A and C, folate, manganese, chromium, potassium, and fibre. Strong in texture and flavour, Romaine pairs beautifully with bold ingredients such as anchovies, blue cheese, garlic, chives, parmesan, and lemon. (For a Caesar done just right, try Rebar’s version—romaine has never tasted so good!) RED OR GREEN-LEAF—Green and red leaf lettuces have large, wavy leaves with scalloped edges that give them an undeniable aesthetic appeal. But they don’t just look good—they contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than any other variety of lettuce. Both types contain the cancerfighting carotenoids beta carotene and lutein, but red leaf lettuce also contains anthocyanins. Current research suggests anthocyanins can help fight heart disease, protect vision and ward off Alzheimer’s. And like romaine, leaf lettuce contains significant amounts of vitamins A and C, folate and manganese. In salads, it pairs nicely with crisp vegetables, walnuts, seafood, goat cheese and tomatoes. And leaf lettuce is highly suited to creamy dressings made with buttermilk or blue cheese. One of the best sources— Metchosin’s Eisenhawer Organic Farm— 250-474-7161. or at the Root Cellar
LAMB’S LETTUCE (a.k.a. MÂCHE)—This plant’s quaint moniker stems from its deep green leaves, which are apparently the size and shape of a lamb’s tongue. The slender leaves are clustered in loose heads and have a distinctive, velvety feel. The tender lamb’s lettuce of late spring is the most flavourful, but I find its mild, nutty taste a welcome addition to salads all summer long. Due to its delicate and perishable nature, lamb’s lettuce is more expensive than other salad greens. But don’t be fooled by its delicate nature— nutritionally it’s a heavyweight. It contains 30 percent more iron than spinach and hefty doses of vitamins A and C, folate, niacin, beta carotene and essential fatty acids. Because of its premium price, lamb’s lettuce is often used in organic “salad mixes.” However, if you don’t mind the expense, lamb’s lettuce featured as the “solo green” can turn an ordinary salad into something special. Marry it with roasted vegetables, bold cheeses and candied nuts, and you’ll impress any salad aficionado. (Tip—grow your own with seeds from Sooke’s Full Circle Seeds—info@fullcircleseeds.com.) ARUGULA—While arugula is not botanically classified as a lettuce, this leafy green herb is most often referred to, and eaten as, lettuce. Characterized by small, deep-green leaves with long stems, arugula is actually related to the radish and the flavour of its leaves is similarly zesty. And while its taste is enough to recommend it, arugula also garners praise for its nutritional profile. Like other leafy greens, it is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, folate, magnesium and potassium. Arugula is often paired with other salad greens to “balance out the taste” and pairs particularly well with mild lettuce like Boston. Simple dressings made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar highlight arugula’s assertive flavour. Similarly, too many ingredients can spoil an arugula salad—heirloom tomatoes, some shaved Parmesan, a good vinaigrette— that’s all you need. (Niche Modern Dining in James Bay hits the right note—their salad featuring heirloom tomatoes, goat cheese, arugula and olive oil is a particular favourite of mine.)
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