With elongated, upright and stiff leaves, Romaine lettuce is medium to large in size. The thick leaves are 10-15 centimetres in length and have many folds and creases. The thick heads are connected loosely to a central blanched base.
In the middle, the leaves become paler in colour, almost fading to white, as they become smaller. The outer leaves are dark green with a prominent white central rib.
The taste of Romaine lettuce is mild, slightly bitter, and its texture is crisp, succulent, and crunchy.
It is believed that Romaine lettuce is one of the oldest varieties of lettuce in existence. It is one of the few varieties of lettuce that grows upright. This plant can withstand high temperatures.
Commonly, the leaves are sold as whole heads or as hearts, which means that the outer leaves have been removed, exposing only the tender, pale inner leaves.
Dietary fibre, vitamins A, C, and K, thiamin, folate, iron, potassium, and manganese are all found in Romaine lettuce. Furthermore, it contains riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.
Scientific name of Romaine Lettuce
Lactuca Sativa Longifolia
Other names of Romaine Lettuce
- Cos Lettuce
- Lattuga Romana
- Laitue Romaine
Nutrition facts of Romaine Lettuce
*Serving size = 100 grams = 3.55 Ounces = 1/2 cup
*DV= % Daily Value (%DV indicates how much nutrients contribute to a person’s daily diet from a serving of a food. DV assists you in determining whether or not a serving of food is high or low in a particular nutrient.)
| Nutrient | Amount | Unit | DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 17 | KCAL | |
| Fat | 0.30 | GRAM | 0% |
| Protein | 1.23 | GRAM | 3% |
| Carbohydrate | 3.29 | GRAM | 1% |
Calories by source in Romaine Lettuce:
- Calories by carbohydrate in Romaine Lettuce = 68%
- Calories by fat in Romaine Lettuce = 15%
- Calories by protein in Romaine Lettuce = 17%
Fats and Fatty Acid profile of Romaine Lettuce:
- Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) in Romaine Lettuce = 76%
- Saturated fat (SFA) in Romaine Lettuce = 18%
- Monounsaturated fat (MUFA) in Romaine Lettuce = 5%
Detailed vitamin profile of Romaine Lettuce, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, Folate, Niacin, Thiamin, and Riboflavin is shown in the chart at the end of the article.
Detailed mineral profile of Romaine Lettuce, Sodium(Na), Calcium(Ca), Copper(Cu), Iron(Fe), Magnesium(Mg), Selenium(Se), Phosphorus(P), Potassium(K) and Zinc(Zn) is shown the chart at the end of the article.
Availability of Romaine Lettuce
- Romaine lettuce is available round the year
Complete nutrition facts of Romaine Lettuce
Click on the link HERE to download high quality, high resolution and print ready PDF version of the Romaine Lettuce nutrition chart/infographic.
