Iceberg Lettuce Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Iceberg lettuce is a primary dietary source of nitrates, which are natural compounds that the body converts into nitric oxide to support vascular health .
Because of its high water content, iceberg lettuce is one of the lowest-calorie vegetables available, providing significantly less energy per serving than other common staples like potatoes or carrots .
While often viewed as less nutrient-dense than darker greens, large prospective cohort studies have linked iceberg lettuce consumption to improved levels of cardiometabolic biomarkers (biological signs of health), including lower markers of inflammation .
The vegetable contains a variety of protective phytochemicals (plant-defense compounds), including vitamin B9, carotenoids, and polyphenols, which function as antioxidants .

Interesting fact

Iceberg lettuce earned its name in the 1920s because it was transported across the United States in train cars covered with massive piles of crushed ice to keep it fresh .

Standout nutrients

ELITE

SOURCE

Folate

ACE

SOURCE

Vitamin K

SOURCE

Molybdenum

SOURCE

Chromium

kcal per 100g

Protein0.83g

Fat0.07g

Carbs0.00g

Fiber1.02g

Sugar2.07g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.08g

Monounsat0.00g

Saturated0.01g

Seasonality

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PeakIn seasonOther months

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Low GHG emissions per kg, though water intensity can be high in arid regions.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

5–7 days

Keep in a perforated bag to maintain humidity without trapping excess moisture.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 2 validated sources

French Food Database

3 contributing source foods

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Bioaccessibility of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of fresh or minimally processed modern or traditional lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) varieties - PMC

[1]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables - PMC - NIH

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of Nutrient Estimates Based on Food Volume versus Weight: Implications for Dietary Assessment Methods - PMC

[3]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dietary nitrate consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in women from the Nurses’ Health Study - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

High-quality fruit and vegetable characterized by cardiometabolic biomarkers and its relation to major chronic disease risk: results from 3 prospective United States cohort studies - PMC

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

100.0

Version

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