Iceberg lettuce used to be the primary choice for salad greens. I chuckled recently when I read about a retro salad recipe — an iceberg lettuce wedge covered with a creamy dressing. As a child I remember that as the salad for special dinners. Today there are many varieties of greens commonly available, offering a nice range of color, texture and flavor. But if you’re not familiar with lettuce lingo, you may feel like you’re learning a foreign language.
• Mesclun includes a mix of tender baby greens. The traditional mix includes chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive. Mixes may also include greens such as mustards, cresses and parsley as well as wild greens and all kinds of lettuce. The flavors in this colorful mix range from bitter to sweet to tangy and combine both crunchy and silky textures.
• Radicchio looks like a small loose-head cabbage with red leaves with white veins. It has a bitter taste.
• Arugula is a member of the mustard family. It has a peppery and tangy flavor.
Unfortunately, there continue to be E. coli outbreaks linked to salad greens including lettuce and spinach. In addition to refrigerating salad greens, you’ll need to follow some safe handling procedures to help avoid illness.
• After purchasing greens keep them separate from raw meat and poultry to eliminate the possibility of cross-contamination. Follow this same rule when preparing other ingredients for salads by keeping cutting boards for salad ingredients and raw meat separate.
• Wash salad greens either by immersing them in cold water or running cold water over the leaves. Using produce washes is unnecessary; they have been shown to be only minimally effective in diminishing bacteria.
• Pre-packaged salad greens are increasingly popular due to convenience but the possibility does exist for contamination prior to packaging. Even when bags are labeled “triple-washed” the safest practice is to wash these greens at home to remove the possibility of bacteria. This is especially important for pregnant women, young children, the elderly and others with compromised immune systems.
In addition to adding a nice crunch to a meal, salad greens have nutritional benefits.
• Researchers recently found that those over the age of 65 who ate three servings of green leafy vegetables a day increased the probability of continued mental function 40 percent longer than those who ate only one serving daily. The beneficial effect was equivalent to functioning as if they were five years younger.
• There is evidence that lutein and zeaxanthin in leafy greens may protect your eyes from sun damage as you age.
• Leafy greens are loaded with vitamin K, good for bone health. It may be linked to increasing bone density and minimizing hip fractures.
If you think salads are the healthiest choice, remember that the bottom line depends on what you add to those leafy greens. Certain dressing choices will pile on the calories and increase the sodium fast. To ensure the healthiest salad amply fill your bowl with greens and assorted veggies, sprinkle with a few extras and lightly drizzle with dressing.
Shirley Perryman is an extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University.
