Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Lettuce: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw lettuce gives 22 kcal, 1.5 g protein, 1.8 g fibre, 2.73 mg iron and 1285 micrograms of beta-carotene, according to IFCT 2017. It is 92.3 g water per 100 g. Lettuce is the lightest everyday salad leaf, but it is also one of the least nutrient-dense greens in the tables: its 11.9 mg vitamin C ranks last of 26 green leafy vegetables.
About lettuce
Lettuce came to India with hotel kitchens and hill-station farms, and it is still mostly an urban and restaurant vegetable. It grows best in the cool months around Pune, Bengaluru, Ooty, Shimla and the Kashmir valley, and hydroponic farms near big cities now supply it year-round. IFCT 2017 records names in 12 languages, most of them borrowed or descriptive: salad ka patta in Hindi, ilaikosu in Tamil, kavu akulu in Telugu, lettuce soppu in Kannada and salada sag in Punjabi.
Indian cooks rarely cook lettuce. It lines burger buns and kathi rolls, crisps up a Caesar salad in a cafe, and sits under tandoori platters as a garnish. In Kolkata's Chinese restaurants and in north-eastern homes it sometimes goes into soups and wraps. Its real value is as a crunchy, mild base that makes a salad of tomato, cucumber, sprouts or paneer easier to eat in quantity.
What lettuce brings to a meal
- 01
Very low in calories
At 22 kcal per 100 g and 92.3 g water, lettuce is one of the lightest foods in IFCT 2017. A large bowl adds bulk and crunch with almost no calories.
- 02
Some iron and beta-carotene
Lettuce has 2.73 mg iron and 1285 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 g, ranking 27th of 160 foods for carotene. The iron covers 14 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 9 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Lowest vitamin C of the greens
With 11.9 mg vitamin C per 100 g, lettuce ranks 26th of 26 leafy vegetables, covering 15 per cent of a man's daily need. Tomato, capsicum or lemon in the same salad make up the difference.
- 04
Vitamin K1 and folate
100 g supplies 91.1 micrograms of vitamin K1 and 31 micrograms of folate. Both are lower than in cooked Indian greens such as methi or palak, which is why lettuce works best alongside them, not instead of them.
Lettuce nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 22 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3% | 3% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 3 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 1.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Water | 92.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.12 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.21 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 134 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 57 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Iron | 2.73 mg | 14% | 9% |
| Zinc | 0.51 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 43 mg | 10% | 12% |
| Phosphorus | 44 mg | ||
| Potassium | 279 mg | ||
| Sodium | 18 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.14 mg | ||
| Selenium | 5.6 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 11.9 mg | 15% | 18% |
| Beta-carotene | 1,285 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.05 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.09 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.17 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.08 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Folate (B9) | 31 µg | 10% | 14% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.01 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 91.1 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Lettuce: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/lettuce/
Where lettuce sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 25 green leafy vegetables and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In green leafy vegetables | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 1,285 µg | 19th of 26 | 27th of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 134 mg | 20th of 26 | 66th of 202 |
| Iron | 2.73 mg | 21st of 26 | 86th of 242 |
| Calcium | 57 mg | 24th of 26 | 86th of 242 |
| Vitamin C | 11.9 mg | 26th of 26 | 88th of 130 |
How lettuce is eaten
- Torn into a salad with cucumber, tomato, sprouted moong, roasted peanuts and a lemon and chaat masala dressing.
- Used as a wrap for a filling of paneer bhurji, spiced chickpeas or chicken tikka instead of a roti.
- Layered in kathi rolls, sandwiches and burgers for crunch and moisture.
- Shredded into a cold raita with curd, roasted cumin and mint.
- Dropped into a clear vegetable soup or thukpa in the last minute so it barely wilts.
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Lettuce is almost always eaten raw, so it carries the same risk as any uncooked vegetable: whatever was on it at the farm or the stall stays on it. Separate the leaves and wash them under running water, soak them briefly in clean water, and dry them before use. Be cautious with lettuce garnishes at roadside stalls where washing water may not be safe. Wilted lettuce has lost crunch but not safety; slimy or brown-edged leaves should be thrown away.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about lettuce
Is lettuce healthy?
Lettuce is healthy but light. IFCT 2017 lists 22 kcal, 2.73 mg iron and 1285 micrograms beta-carotene per 100 g, but only 11.9 mg vitamin C, the lowest among leafy vegetables. It is useful for adding volume to meals; darker greens such as methi, palak or amaranth carry much more nutrition.
What is lettuce called in Hindi?
IFCT 2017 records salad ka patta as the Hindi name, which describes how it is used rather than naming the plant. Other recorded names include ilaikosu in Tamil, kavu akulu in Telugu, lettuce soppu in Kannada and salada sag in Punjabi.
Does lettuce help with weight loss?
Lettuce has very few calories, 22 kcal per 100 g, and its water and fibre add bulk to a meal. Starting a meal with a lettuce-based salad can make it easier to eat less of richer dishes, but weight change depends on the whole diet, not on any single food.
Is iceberg lettuce less nutritious?
IFCT 2017 lists a single lettuce entry without separating types. In general, darker and looser leaves carry more carotene and vitamins than pale, tightly packed heads. If choosing in a supermarket, a mix of darker leaves gives more nutrition for the same calories.
Related foods and tables
Cucumber
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tomato
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cabbage
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pak Choi leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Spinach
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
All green leafy vegetables
26 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.