With the passage of time, consuming red lettuce daily with my meals has become routine for me — during the season, of course. While trumpeting its health benefits to my co-workers, family, friends and those who seek my advice regarding different health concerns, especially related to nutrition, this leafy treasure of vitamins and minerals has crept subconsciously into my diet as well!

Lettuce leaves, scientifically known as Lactuca sativa, are consumed widely and considered a symbol of a healthy diet when it comes to meals — so much so that, sometimes, the concept of unhealthy and junk food is mitigated when the meal is stuffed with a leaf of lettuce. Regardless of how it is consumed, the raw lettuce is not only accessible and easy-to-grow, but also one of the most nutritious fillers for your healthy starters and meals.

Water makes up more than 95 percent of raw lettuce and, as a result, it hydrates the body and quenches thirst. If taken before meals in healthy salad starters, the water content of the lettuce leaves provides one with the feeling of being full. In turn, one is likely to eat less of unnatural products and a higher percentage of the meals consumed is likely to be natural, organic and healthy.

Apart from the water content, lettuce leaves have their share of vitamins and minerals as well. The leaves have negligible calories and, therefore, can be comfortably consumed as per one’s preference.

All you need to know for a healthy, homegrown harvest of red lettuce, offering a variety of benefits and remedies

Different studies suggest that lettuce leaves are rich in Vitamin A. A cup of chopped red lettuce contains enough Vitamin A to cater to almost half of one’s daily nutritional requirement of that vitamin. Vitamin A is helpful in sustaining normal vision and especially helpful in improving the ability to see during low light and darkness. Other than Vitamin A, there is ample amount of Vitamin K, Vitamin C and the Vitamin B range.

Vitamin K not only helps with the healing of wounds and clotting blood during injuries, but it is also useful in getting stronger bones. Like any other edible leafy vegetable, lettuce leaves are rich in iron and folate as well.

Many studies claim that the red lettuce has more to offer compared to its green-coloured counterpart. The presence of anthocyanin and carotenoids makes it superior to the green lettuce for many. Anthocyanin, the pigment that provides blueberries their distinct colour, possesses anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity properties, as well as helps in the prevention of cardiovascular

diseases. Similarly, the carotenoids in the red lettuce leaves promote better eye health and the antioxidants improve overall health.

If the love of gardening is not enough for one to grow the red lettuce at home in abundance, then the array of health benefits it offers should definitely push one to do so.

Last week, we discussed how the seedlings of red lettuce leaves are grown from seeds. Let us now see how these seedlings grow and mature into a healthy harvest.

Since red lettuce is entirely a leafy vegetable, the growers are primarily and mostly concerned with its foliage and leaves only. To ensure better foliage, there is minimal need for potassium and phosphorus feeds. As the seedling continues to grow and mature, it should, however, be regularly boosted with organic nitrogen-based fertilisers. Any of the nitrogen-rich fertilisers can be provided to the plant after every fortnight.

The duration between the shifting of the seedlings to the beginning of the first harvest is likely to be between three to four weeks. Since red lettuce has a loose-leaf presentation, there is no need to harvest the entire plant. As the leaves continue to gain normal size, these can be individually harvested, one by one. It is better to harvest the bottom leaves first, as these are likely to mature earlier as well. The young leaves in the centre should not be harvested until they have matured. This helps to prolong plant life.

The red lettuce plant is susceptible to pest and insect attack. Commonly attacking pests include aphids, mealy bugs, slugs, leaf-miners and beetles. These tend to damage the leaves in such a manner that the leaves become inedible and unfit for consumption. Therefore, it is recommended to spray the red lettuce plants with any organic pesticide, such as Neem oil, after every 15 days.

As the weather changes to warmer conditions, there is a growth of a straight stem with red lettuce flower buds from the centre of the plant. This is the beginning of the end for the plant — a process known as bolting. In bolting, the flowers of the red lettuce plant finally dry off, leaving behind the seeds. These seeds can, then, be harvested and kept aside in a dry space for the next season.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 24th, 2024