Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was among the first vegetables brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus. It belongs to the family Asteraceae. Endive, artichoke, chicory and sunflower are its close relatives. In the United States, the four principal types of lettuce include crisp head (mainly iceberg), romaine (cos), leaf and butterhead. They differ in size, shape, texture, color and nutritional value. Romaine and leaf lettuce have higher proportion of green leaves and are therefore better sources of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium than crisphead lettuce.
7/30/2005 12:53:29 AM
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