Cabbage vs Lettuce
Cabbage and Lettuce are two varieties of vegetables that are often confused as one and the same thing. Strictly speaking they differ in their characteristics. Cabbage is actually one of the several cultivated varieties of Brassica oleracea. It is characterized by the presence of thick green or purple leaves forming a round heart or head.
On the other hand lettuce is a composite plant called Lactusa sativa with crisp and edible leaves. In the case of cabbage the head is usually eaten as vegetable whereas the edible leaves of lettuce are used in the preparation of salads.
It is interesting to note that lettuce is grown commercially worldwide and it requires light, sandy and moist soil. Between lettuce and cabbage, lettuce is considered more nutritious than cabbage because of the presence of more energy in it. It is believed that lettuce contains 13 kcal of energy. It also contains carbohydrates, fat, protein, dietary fiber and Vitamin A.
Lettuce is a low calorie food and is a great source of vitamin A and folic acid. On the other hand cabbage is adept in acting as goitrogen. It is efficient in blocking the organification in thyroid cells. Fresh cabbage juice is highly recommended in the treatment of peptic ulcers (by colyer at here). Cabbage is used in the preparation of various dishes in different parts of the world.
It is interesting to note that cabbage is used in the treatment of inflammation in different parts of Europe. It is a great source of vitamin C. In addition to vitamin C, cabbage is said to contain amino acids too and many anti-inflammatory substances. The intake of cabbage is highly recommended in the treatment of indigestion as well.
Hence both cabbage and lettuce have their own medicinal benefits and it is important to include both of them in your diet.