Lettuce is undoubtedly the queen of leafy vegetables.
With more than 2,000 years of history, this vegetable has ceased to be considered as a simple garnish and has become part of the main dishes in many homes. Not only for its flavour and versatility, but also for the multiple properties it provides.
But if we talk about lettuces, and due to their globalised consumption all over the world, we must talk about the more than 200 varieties that we can find. Perhaps the varieties that we are most familiar with and that we usually see in countless sales outlets or restaurants are head lettuce, curly leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce and stem lettuce.
In our case, today we want to stop and let you get to know our Little Gem variety.
Learn more about Little Gem:
This type of lettuce, in some places also known as "baby lettuce", gets its name from its small size compared to other varieties.
Recognisable by its green colour, puffy leaf and crunchy texture, it is made up of small, attractive compact buds between 10 and 15 centimetres in height and about 10 centimetres in diameter, weighing around 150/200 grams.
This is probably one of the best known and most widely used lettuces in Spain as, due to its volume, it has an ideal proportion to avoid food waste.
Moreover, one of the peculiarities of its cultivation, which lasts all year round, is the short period of time between planting the seeds and harvesting, not exceeding 45 days.
In our case, our Little Gem lettuces come exclusively from our growers in Spain.
Why is it important that lettuce is always present in our diet?
In addition to its incredible flavour and freshness, in the case of Little Gem it also stands out for its sweet taste. Lettuce is a basic food in any diet due to its low calorie intake, but also for the amount of vitamins and minerals it provides to our organism, as well as being a highly satiating food.
But did you know that lettuces have properties that help to reduce insomnia? That's right, their "lactucarium" content influences our nervous system and acts as a natural relaxant.
Apart from this small curiosity, its properties are very beneficial for our health. Here are the reasons why:
- Its diuretic properties help to combat fluid retention.
- Reduces the risk of heart disease through the presence of flavonoids
- Maintains blood sugar levels at an appropriate level
- It is a natural protector of the gastric mucosa.
- Its high water content contributes to proper hydration and prevents urinary tract infections.
