This is sometimes called normal, crisphead or standard lettuce. The heads are firm and tightly packed with a central core or heart. The leaves are crunchy and have a mild flavour. The outer leaves are a darker green than the central pale leaves. Cupped leaves hold their shape and are often used to hold fillings. Frillice is a similar lettuce variety which is gaining in popularity, it is characterised by its deep green colour and leaves which are very frilled at the edges.

Originally grown in the Mediterranean region, lettuce has always been a popular vegetable. The Greeks and Romans not only ate lettuces, they used them medicinally to induce sleep. The vast majority of lettuces sold in New Zealand are iceberg lettuces (around 90%).

What to look for

Choose lettuces with clean, crisp leaves.

How to keep

Store at 2 - 5°C with a relative humidity of 95%. The optimum storage temperature is 0°C, but because of the risk of the product freezing a slightly higher temperature is recommended. Lettuces are ethylene sensitive which means they should be stored separately from ethylene producing vegetables.

CONSUMER STORAGE: Refrigerate in plastic bags or in the crisper. Make sure the lettuce isn't squashed. Alternatively, if the lettuce still has roots attached, place the roots in a jar of water and do not refrigerate.

Nutritional value

The common belief that lettuce is a ‘nutritional desert’ does not do this vegetable justice, particularly the newer cultivars. Most lettuces have a range of nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, iron, fibre and â-carotene. New cultivars are more often strongly coloured than the traditional varieties, and the pigments that give them the colour have a range of nutritional benefits. Most cultivars contain the pigments â-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and chlorophyll. The red cultivars additionally contain anthocyanins. Whilst it is true that lettuce is composed largely of water, this is an advantage in giving low calorie ‘bulk’, which is important in terms of satiety or keeping you feeling ‘full’. Because lettuce is eaten so often the nutritional contribution can be quite high.

How to prepare

Remove any coarse or wilted leaves. You can use these in soups. Gently break up the leaves. If necessary, soaking the leaves in warm water for 3 - 4 minutes followed by refrigeration can freshen up the leaves making them crisper. Dry the lettuce well after washing - a salad spinner is really helpful.

Ways to eat this vegetable

Lettuce is mostly used raw in salads. You can make all sorts of wonderful salads and garnishes with the different lettuces. Using several varieties together increases interest. Lettuce leaves may also be used as wraps.

When you can get it

With the new varieties and the use of hydroponics and greenhouses, lettuces are now available all year round.


Vegetable information kindly provided by www.vegetables.co.nz