Lettuce is one of the indispensable vegetables in the Mediterranean diet. It is rich in antioxidant components and is a food that offers great benefits to human health. When consuming lettuce, red-leaf varieties should be the preferred choice.
However, not all lettuce varieties possess the same antioxidant effects. A recent study from the University of the Basque Country in Spain indicates that the color of the vegetable leaves determines the strength of their antioxidant capacity. The research shows that red-leaf lettuce has stronger antioxidant capabilities than green-leaf lettuce. The findings of this study were published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry."
Due to continuous contact with the outside world, including factors like respiration (oxidation reactions), environmental pollution, and radiation exposure, the human body constantly produces free radicals. Scientific research has shown that cancer, aging, and other diseases are largely associated with the overproduction of free radicals, while antioxidant-rich foods can effectively counteract the harm they cause. Lettuce is rich in antioxidant substances. Based on their antioxidant capacity, we should prioritize red leaves, followed by light red leaves, and then green leaves.