In Defense of Iceberg Lettuce
It’s well documented that making a satisfying salad is no easy feat. Between nailing the balance of protein, fiber, fat, and carbs, and making it all taste good in the process, there’s a lot that can go wrong between prepping and plating.
One part that shouldn’t be difficult? Picking a leafy green that will form the base of your dish. The problem is, even that decision can feel impossible when the consensus has long been against the most affordable and reliable option: iceberg lettuce.
The refrain that iceberg lettuce has “no nutrients” is one we hear all the time, but does it hold up as well as said vegetable does to a heavy dressing? Not really, according to registered dietitians. We chatted with them to find out why they think it’s time to bring back the old standby and why the anti-iceberg lettuce wave was flawed from the start.
Why did folks turn on iceberg lettuce?
There are a few reasons why what was once the go-to for salads fell out of favor, and almost all of them have to do with cultural and nutritional perceptions that aren’t really supported by science, Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, of Street Smart Nutrition, tells SELF.
Iceberg lettuce hate started when love for kale and other dark, leafy greens took off, she says. “When stacked next to dark leafy greens, the nutrition in iceberg lettuce seems to pale in comparison.” And it’s true that iceberg lettuce has fewer nutrients than those trendier alternatives, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be worthwhile in the right context (more on that in a bit).
Diet culture has also had a heavy hand in perpetuating the idea that the veggie is a low- or no-calorie food. This was seen as a benefit for a time, but as the desire for heartier fare grew, so too did the idea that the only real benefit to eating iceberg lettuce was its lack of calories, she explains.
Where iceberg lettuce gets the most use has similarly impacted its image, Wendy Lopez, MS, RD, CDCES, cofounder and COO of Diabetes Digital, tells SELF. “[It’s] commonly associated with fast food, diners, school lunches, and lower-cost meals, and when a food is linked to low-income communities, people often make unfair assumptions about its value,” she explains. It’s no coincidence that the anti-iceberg lettuce sentiment is heavily influenced by the types of people who are less likely or will never need to eat at those types of establishments.
Each factor on its own might not seem like a lot, but their cumulative effect has left many people thinking twice about iceberg lettuce. “There’s a real stigma attached to these scenarios. It shapes not only iceberg lettuce’s reputation, but also what we think of as ‘healthy,’” Harbstreet says.
It’s true that iceberg lettuce isn’t as nutritionally dense as other leafy greens.
There’s no denying that iceberg lettuce is more of a nutritional lightweight than other leafy greens, specifically dark ones, according to the RDs SELF spoke with. Things like kale contain nutrients that aren’t found in iceberg lettuce, like folate, as well as larger concentrations of the ones they have in common—like calcium, potassium, and even protein.
“Other fruits and vegetables with similar water content may offer a better nutritional bang for your buck, depending on your personal nutrition needs,” Harbstreet explains. So maybe it’s not technically your best option if optimizing your nutrient intake is your primary goal, but there are a few good reasons why it shouldn’t be jettisoned either.
Here’s why experts still think it deserves a spot in your rotation.
Iceberg lettuce is mostly water—95% to be exact. Despite this point often being used to disparage the vegetable, it’s actually a good thing, says Lopez. We stay hydrated with what we drink but also from the H2O in what we eat. So it certainly doesn’t hurt that this type of lettuce has a lot of it, she notes.
Iceberg lettuce also has key characteristics that make it ideally suited to building a salad—like a crunchy texture that doesn’t wilt quickly under heavy or highly acidic dressing. Harbstreet adds that it wilts less quickly than greens like spinach and arugula in general, has a longer shelf life, and is therefore that much more likely to actually get used.
Most importantly, there’s no understating the importance of its affordability. “Iceberg lettuce remains one of the most accessible vegetables for many families, and that alone gives it an important place on the plate,” Lopez says. So no, iceberg lettuce isn’t a powerhouse like kale. But in our book, anything that can put a veggie on your plate without breaking the bank will always deserve another shot.
https://www.self.com/story/in-defense-of-iceberg-lettuce
I LOVE iceberg lettuce and prefer it to all others - combined.
Family likes other types, including arugula, watercress, radicchio (NO).
Nothing better in a tossed salad, on tacos and tostadas. Nothing else substitutes for it.
Iceberg .lettuce is the biggest food hoaxes ever foisted on the Public. #1 it is not grown on icebergs as the name suggests. #2 you would think that you would find it in the frozen aisle. None of these are true. By doing research some are actually grown in greenhouses which is as far from icebergs as you can get.
I love Romaine...found a way to keep it fresh for a couple weeks in a jar...I can eat it right out of fridge as a snack.
Iceberg lettuce keeps surprisingly well———— tightly wrapped in Saran.
It looks all wrinkly and unappetizing tightly wrapped.
But unwrapped it looks——and tastes——like you just bought it.