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A salad a day may keep the doctor away Date published: 6/1/2008
PLAIN OLD lettuce deserves more credit than it gets. Dressed up, it can be a mouth-watering appetizer, snack or meal. And new research confirms that it may reduce the risk of cancer, strengthen bones and aid digestion. Not bad for something you can buy for a few dollars a bag. But what kind of lettuce you eat matters, and so does the dressing you use to spice it up. A LITTLE HISTORY Lettuce is America's most popular vegetable, available at markets and fast-food restaurants everywhere. But it was not always so. In ancient Greece and Rome, lettuce was considered a delicacy and served to wealthy people for dessert. Later, wild lettuce--more bitter than modern varieties--was used as an herbal medicine for insomnia. In ancient Egypt, lettuce was considered a powerful aphrodisiac. Indeed, recent Spanish research showed men who ate more lettuce had healthier sperm than men who didn't. So, salads may be a manly dish. Lettuce is also a good source of folic acid, especially important for pregnant women. Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects. NOURISHING THE BODY Some varieties of lettuce are more potent than others. Dark-green lettuces have vitamin K, which can improve bone strength for both men and women. In a study, women who ate a cup of lettuce a day had higher vitamin K levels in their blood. They also had half as many hip fractures as women who ate less lettuce, according to Harvard researchers. The green pigments in lettuce also contain carotenoids, which may help preserve eyesight in old age and fight cancer. Lettuce has some fiber, which is good for digestion. Eating more lettuce reduced relapses of ulcerative colitis, a painful digestive problem, according to a Scottish study. Several studies suggest that lettuce eaters have lower risks of cancers of the breast, colon and lungs. Of course, lettuce is not a substitute for a doctor's care. But eating well can help the healing process. The U.S. MyPyramid recommends eating 3 cups per week of dark green vegetables, such as lettuce, broccoli and kale. Yet most Americans eat about half that, according to surveys. It's easy to eat more greens, especially salad greens, because you don't have to cook them. Simply rinse off a head of lettuce and tear the leaves into salad bowls. Or use them as a sandwich topping.
Date published: 6/1/2008
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