How long does iceberg lettuce last in the refrigerator?

Chemical composition and calorie content

The water content of the salad is almost 95%, the rest comes from dietary fiber, fatty acids and amino acids.
The leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals, which has a significant effect on the health of the body. Chemical analyzes revealed the following components of the vitamin complex:

• A;
• E;
• group B is present (except B 12);
• beta-carotene;
• ascorbic acid.

Iceberg lettuce contains vitamin K (phylloquinone). This is a biologically active compound that stabilizes the functioning of almost all human systems and organs.

The following macro-microelements have also been identified, which are contained in large quantities:

• calcium;
• sodium;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• copper;
• potassium.

And already in insignificant amounts of manganese, zinc, iron and selenium. But the alkaloid lactucin has found wide application in cosmetology and medicine. The energy value of the fleshy, juicy and crispy leaves is as follows: protein – 0.9 g, fat – 0.14 g, carbohydrates – 1.77 g.

It is very useful to use iceberg lettuce for people who are overweight or simply watching their figure due to its low calorie content, since 100 g contains no more than 14 kcal.

How to prepare a mixed salad?

A lush leaf cocktail with an exquisite taste and beautiful color scheme is the foundation of a delicious dish. It’s better to take lollo rosso and bionda as a basis (30% in total), throw in arugula and frisee curls (20% each), and diversify with beautiful rosettes of corn, young spinach leaves, and Boston hearts (15-20% in total). To highlight the variegated green colors, you can add radicchio checkers (10%), and before eating, complete the palette with watercress or chicory (5% only). If desired, you can add other leaves. It is better to use romaine separately; frisee and a couple of sprigs of arugula are sometimes added to the iceberg.

In the mixes, piquant and spicy leafy salads should predominate, leaves with a neutral taste should be added a little less, spicy and bitter herbs should be added a little to slightly highlight the taste of the green mass.

When composing a platter, it is advisable to take into account the ingredients of the dish and its dressing, because delicate greens will settle under the weight of thick sauces. In restaurants, arugula and frisee (up to 60%) are often used as the basis for cocktails, because they go well with any dressings and do not lose their presentable appearance.

It is advisable to mix the greens with your hands, wearing a disposable glove, or, in extreme cases, with two wide salad spoons. The fragile leaves are easy to break, after which they quickly lose their shape, and the dish turns out unappetizing. The seasoned mix should turn out beautiful, fluffy and light. If the salad includes coarsely chopped vegetables and a thick, rich sauce, it is better to season the delicate cocktail with olive oil and place the hefty ingredients on top. The composition will be voluminous and beautiful.

The prepared leaf salad cocktail should be placed in a plastic container and tightly closed. It is advisable to place a waffle towel on the bottom of the dish: droplets of water will be absorbed and the greens will remain dry and fluffy. It is better not to use paper napkins: the leaves will wither faster. A properly prepared mix can last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days! If the leaves are slightly wilted, they should be kept in cold water for 10-15 minutes and dried.

With the help of a mixed salad, you can make any dish more vibrant and spicy, saturate it with vitamins and valuable substances, and easily adjust the aftertaste.

Mixed salad - an assortment of prepared salad greens, without vegetables, dressing or spices. The Persians began mixing succulent plants: they tore them with their hands and seasoned them with vinegar and olive oil. In France, a handful of spicy leaves were served with roasts, after which they began to add vegetables and cheeses, and experiment with all kinds of sauces. The overall flavor of the dish depends on the composition of the mix, but first of all, the ingredients must be juicy, not spoiled and hold volume well.

What are the benefits of iceberg lettuce?

Iceberg lettuce is useful to eat fresh:

1. Consumption helps combat insomnia, helps cope with the occurrence of negative processes in stressful situations and gets rid of depression.
2. Prevents the development of heart attack and stroke, having a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
3. The beneficial composition of iceberg lettuce helps fight excess cholesterol, thereby preventing the formation of blood clots, varicose veins, and the appearance of atherosclerosis.
4. The fiber included in its composition normalizes metabolic metabolism, the digestive system and the function of the intestinal tract.
5. Minerals strengthen the immune system, protect against viral infections and various bacteria.
6. The benefits of iceberg lettuce have been proven for schoolchildren and students, as well as for the body of people whose profession is associated with mental activity.
7. The substances included in the composition and juice based on lactarin are used for pain relief.
8. Scientists claim that this salad can fight cancer by slowing down blood flow to cancer cells and promoting their self-destruction.
9. Is it suitable for a nursing mother? Iceberg lettuce is a hypoallergenic product. Doctors advise adding it to the menu to increase the fat content of breast milk.
10. Recommended for use by pregnant women. Folic acid contributes to the full development of the fetus and the health of the expectant mother.

In addition to the listed properties, it is important to note that fresh lettuce leaves destroy the unpleasant odor emanating from a sore stomach or damaged teeth. Disinfects the oral cavity and even treats stomatitis.

How it is

Don’t even think about stewing, frying, or even steaming this salad: when exposed to heat, it loses almost all of its best qualities.

The key to this recipe is to make the sauce. To do this, mix mustard (1 tsp), lemon juice (1 tbsp), a quarter glass of cold water, a little salt, a little pepper and 3 tbsp in a blender until pureed. l. olive oil . Tear the lettuce into small pieces and pour the sauce over it. Eat with hard cheese or any meat.

There are up to 60 varieties of lettuce in Europe. Half of them are in North America. Since lettuce is unpretentious in handling, it was quickly domesticated by the inhabitants of Europe, and in the Middle Ages it decorated the table of almost every medieval European. To this day, lettuce is the most popular salad in the world.

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Contraindications

Despite the huge number of beneficial properties of iceberg lettuce, it also has a number of contraindications.

It is very rare to find people with hypersensitivity to certain components, and sometimes green lettuce leaves are simply not tolerated by the body.

Unpleasant symptoms may occur such as:

• pain in the pancreas and liver;
• bitterness in the mouth.

With such manifestations, it is necessary to reduce or completely abandon the intake of greens.

Please note that it is worth starting to introduce small portions into the diet of infants only in the first month of life and in the morning. Monitor his condition.

People on a diet cannot almost completely replace iceberg lettuce with a complete diet. The body requires more nutrients and nutrients.

How it is

Arugula, being Italian, goes well with the corresponding cuisine. For example, it is added to pizza. If you don’t have pizza at hand...

Cut 300 g of chicken fillet into small pieces, add salt and pepper, add 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice and leave for 15 minutes. Let 250 g of pasta cook (any kind, but tagliatelle is better). While the water is boiling, tear off the stems from a bunch of arugula and place the leaves in a blender along with a clove of garlic, a few basil leaves, 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. l. olive oil . Stir until smooth and pour the resulting sauce over the mixture of pasta and fried chicken.

Application in cosmetology and medical practice

The components of iceberg lettuce attract not only traditional medicine. The more often people consume these greens fresh (without overusing), the more benefits they bring to their body. Preventive measures will also not be superfluous.

They have learned to use decoctions of the leaves to treat the first signs of cystitis at home, and steamed seeds improve lactation in nursing mothers.

At home, many have learned to make various nourishing masks for the face, hair and nails. This helps increase elasticity and improve the condition of the skin, preventing the appearance of wrinkles. The juice of the plant is used to reduce fat content.

How it is

Remember that any cooked spinach dish can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days. Otherwise, spinach will begin to release toxic nitrate salts.

Finely chop one onion and two cloves of garlic and fry it all in a frying pan for 4 minutes (oil to taste, but do not overdo it). Then mix the contents of a can or package of canned chicken soup (also called consommé) and 300 g of fresh spinach in a saucepan. Add the fried onion and garlic and bring the mixture to a boil. Then pour it into a blender, mix until smooth, pour it back into the pan (by the way, you don’t have to wash it) and bring it to a boil again. You can add a spoonful of cream.

Correct selection and storage

Typically, the weight of a ripened head of iceberg lettuce is 0.5 kg; upon inspection, it should be symmetrical. The leaves, if of good quality, are juicy, light green in color, are not damaged and do not fall apart.

Black spots, darkening and lethargy can only indicate pests, spraying with various nitrates, as well as improper storage of the vegetable.

Now in stores you can see lettuce leaves packaged in special bags that help create optimal conditions for the greens and save them from premature withering.

At home, good housewives can increase the shelf life of iceberg lettuce and give simple advice:

1. Washed leaves should be completely dried, damage should be removed by hand and not with iron objects (knife, scissors).
2. It should be placed in a spacious container or bag. The lid will be cling film, in which you must make holes for oxygen access.
3. If a minimum shelf life is expected, then it is enough to lay the leaves with the cuttings down, pinch off a few millimeters.
4. In the refrigerator, use only the bottom shelves for vegetables.
5. Cannot be stored open.

The presence of fresh herbs on the table is mandatory in every family that cares about their health. With the help of iceberg lettuce, rich in properties valuable for the body, you can not only decorate dishes when serving. It is included in many low-calorie snack recipes.

How to properly wash lettuce?

It is recommended to wash salad leaves under running water, but small grains of sand can get lost between the stems and end up in the dish. It is more effective to soak in plenty of water so that the greens do not touch the bottom of the dish. Cooking is a complex science: even such a simple process has nuances.

Leaf salads need to be properly prepared:

• Rinse the chicory and radicchio under running water and cut out the head completely without tearing off the leaves;
• Sort through the mash salad and carefully tear off the root so that the emerald leaves do not fall apart;
• Remove stems from arugula and spinach (conveniently using scissors);
• The iceberg is washed under running water only from the top;
• For head lettuces, cut the stalk and separate the leaves if they do not fit tightly together (romaine, boston, frise), and lollo rosso and bionda can be torn before washing.

Fill a large container with cold water, carefully place the greens and leave for 10 minutes. The grains of sand are heavier than the liquid and will easily settle to the bottom of the dish. Collect lettuce leaves, transfer to another container, change the contents and throw in the greens again. It is advisable to rinse about 3 times until the bottom is clean.

The beauty will not deteriorate if the water is constantly changed. It is better to pay more attention to corn, spinach and Boston, as they do not like to bathe.

Almost every leaf has bitterness, which can overpower the delicate flavor. If you reduce it a little, you will notice amazing nutty and spicy notes. In restaurants, lollo rosso, arugula, endive, frisee and radicchio are left in water for several hours, changing every 20 minutes.

It is recommended to wash lettuce leaves separately and dry them in a centrifuge. Place in a net carefully and in small portions (especially romaine and lollo), practically folding leaf to leaf, otherwise they will break, lose valuable juices and quickly wither. It is advisable to stop the device several times while spinning, lift the lid and stir the contents. After each use, drain the accumulated water. Chicory, radicchio, and iceberg are not dried in a centrifuge: after washing, they are wiped and the mixture is prepared. It is better to store them entirely in the refrigerator, first wrapped in cling film. Mung bean salad and other tender greens are placed on a waffle towel and turned over periodically. It is better to tear the prepared leaves with your hands: the mixed salad turns out more beautiful and juicy. For some dishes, you can cut with a knife, but the blade must be sharp and made of stainless steel.