Salad can get a bad rap. People think of bland and watery iceberg lettuce, but in fact, salads are an art form, from the simplest rendition to a colorful kitchen-sink approach. ~Marcus Samuelsson
He’s not wrong. Sometimes we make judgment calls before we’ve considered all the options. I wouldn’t say that an aversion to salad can be cured by simply trying a wide variety of green leafy vegetables, but it wouldn’t hurt. I have always loved salad, but enjoy them more since I branched out a little. You see, it was only in the last decade that I took a walk on the wild side and abandoned my consistent, somewhat humdrum, choice of iceberg lettuce for salad. Who knew I’d enjoy Romaine and field greens so much? But greens are more than salad ingredients, at least in the South.
How long has this been going on?
Once again, Egypt scores with the first known use of lettuce. In this case, it was a Romaine-adjacent plant. We know this because it was depicted on a wall mural that dates back to 2700 B.C. Back then, the plant was bitter, but the seeds were used for medicine, cooking, and mummification. (How do they know this? So many questions.) Over time, gardeners bred the plant to reduce the level of bitterness. At some point, the use of greens crossed with travelers over the Mediterranean Sea to the Greeks, and that culture served salad as a digestive aid. They also continued to tinker with growing methods to make the leaves more palatable.
As an aside, Greek mythology mentions lettuce, and not in a good way. Either Ares, Artemis, or Persephone arranged a premature death of Artemis by managing to get him and a wild boar in a bed of lettuce at the same time. The logistics are unbelievable and the fact that we don’t even know which of the accused was jealous of whom makes the story frightfully far-fetched. But is is, after all, mythology. Back to greens.
The Romans were the next to pick up the habit, and that is where the name becomes familiar. They named Romaine-type plant lactuca, which means “white sap” for its milky excretions. Eventually, that became lettuce, but lactuca stands as the genus name.
- Arugla – has a peppery flavor and includes vitamins K and C, plus calcium and dietary nitrates. Good for heart health and blood flow. (Potentially, of course.)
- Collard greens – a part of the cabbage family. Not my favorite, but they’re rich in vitamins, A, C, and K, as well as calcium. Can reduce the chance of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
- Kale – a type of cabbage that provides vitamins A, C, and K, as well as antioxidants. Has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Romaine – contains vitamins A, K, C and folate, which promotes cell growth and function.
- Spinach – contains iron, calcium, potassium, and multiple vitamins. Its antioxidants may lower risk of heart disease and some cancers. I think it borders on inedible when cooked, but it’s great for a raw salad. Perhaps I’m carrying around memories of school lunches. Who knows?
- Turnip greens – heavy with vitamin C and calcium. These types of greens–my favorite–help with digestion and support the immune system.
- Watercress – peppery and spicy. Contains vitamins A and C, which may contribute to healing some types of cancers.
Credit (or blame) for greens on your plate over here--plus a little
Here’s the scoop, courtesy of the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Probably most of us know that dark leafy greens are more healthy than other greens, providing vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. What I didn’t know, and you might not have, either, is that they were introduced to this continent with Africans when they were brought to these shores. Fortunately, from my perspective, they brought their cooking methods, too. Guess that one is a two-way street, since before cooking with hog jowl, fatback or bacon grease, greens are low-cholesterol and low-carb. But back to the vitamins – B, in particular.
Studies have shown that heavy intake of folate (which is vitamin B) may reduce the chance of colon polyps. This can mean a reduction in the potential for cancer. Folate also positively impacts heart health. Other studies reflect a correlation between low folate intake and a higher incidence of breast, lung, and cervix cancer. When we’re told to eat our greens, we need to listen.
- Storing lettuce adjacent to ethylene-emitting fruits* causes excelerated deterioration. Avoid unless you’re looking for an excuse to trash your lettuce. *Apples, avocados, bananas, cantalope, peaches, pears, kiwi, tomatoes, and peppers.
- Lettuce is the second most popular vegetable, right behind the mighty tasty potato.
- The lion’s share of lettuce (more than 70%) is grown in California from April through October, and Arizona from November through March.
- Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to the New World in 1494 on his second voyage to these parts.
- Lettuce is 95% water and is not compatible with processing (canning, freezing, dehydrating, or pickling).
- Ancient Greeks thought lettuce induced sleep, and it was usually served at the end of the meal. However, one emperor (Domitian) served salad at the beginning of the meal to torture guests who [he thought] would struggle to stay awake in his presence.
Lettuce us wrap it up
You’ll notice I included leafy green vegetables in this lettuce post. As mentioned above, I do love turnip greens–mustard greens, too. Both have health benefits, though mustard greens didn’t make the top 10 in the Eden Greens resource I used. However, turns out they provide plenty of pluses, per WebMd,as they:
- Provide more vitamin A than spinach and more vitamin C than orange juice
- Support kidney function
- Include a detoxifying agent that promotes healthy blood.
Well, they’re great for you as God made them, which has little to do with anything by the time a Southern cook “seasons” them. Speaking of Southern cooks, we’re missing one more sallet. Not a typo.
Poke sallet (or salad, if you’re uppity) comes from pokeweed. It’s a forage plant, and requires special attention. Southern Living tells us these weeds must be boiled twice and drained to render them safe to eat. Of course, they are also sautéd in bacon grease. Why not?
Southern Living also raised the question of whether poke sallet is the same as kilt lettuce. Again, no typo. And no, it isn’t the same. When greens are drenched with hot bacon grease, they’re kilt. Now you know. Poke, on the other hand, is actually cooked in the grease. Not the same, though the result probably looks very similar. That isn’t as big an issue as the one I have with Tony Joe White changing poke to polk–and taking the masses with him on that mess. The song is good, though. Give it a listen.
Good post and good reminder of a path to a healthy meal! Restaurants with good salad bars are my favorite. Salad bar only can be a very rewarding meal!
Salad bars are great, and I enjoy them, too. They can’t replace turnip greens and cornbread, though. At least not from a satisfaction perspective. 😉
As a Memphis cop for 33 years, who roamed in poor ends of town, it was my pleasure to be introduced to chitterlings. Pronounced chittlings, they are boiled and traditionally served with turnip greens. You could smell both a mile away, and they were a rare treat.
You’re a braver man than me, Gunga Din. I’m familiar with chittlin’s, but have never tried them. The mental image is more than my need for food can overcome. Love turnip greens, big time, though.