Everyone is aware of the veracity of the statement that we learn something new and helpful every day.
There are a lot of tiny objects that are moving by us, but we (almost) never pay any attention to them. I want to talk to you about it today, and it has to do with vegetables.
So I visited my neighborhood grocery shop a few days ago. A grocery shop is like a gold mine for me since I’m usually making something.
I’m motivated to work my magic by all of those hues and aromas. This time, I wanted to get something that was somewhat green, so I automatically grabbed for the lettuce and cabbage.
And that’s when it dawned on me that although they appear to be the same, they are not.
Difference Between Cabbage and Lettuce
The question arose – what is the difference between cabbage and lettuce?
There was a kind lady by the beam scale, and we started talking about my discovery by surprise. She told me that cabbage and lettuce are vegetables, they even look similar, but they are from two different families.
Oh, dear! Do vegetables have their own families?
Well, this requires some serious research work. Let me share with you the outcome of my exploring endeavor.
The Glorious History
While being an ordinary vegetable, the cabbage has some pretty interesting stories about its origins. The use of cabbage in Europe’s cuisine is dated to 1000 BC. At that time, in Britain and continental Europe could be found an ancestor of cabbage – the wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea).
It is assumed that cabbage was domesticated throughout history after the wheat and lentil ( learn what is the taste of lentils ), and the Celts were the first ones to domesticate it. Also, cabbage was well-known to Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks.
Interesting fact – ancient Greeks believed that cabbage is harmful to grapes, and they never planted it near the vineyards. In the Medieval Age, cabbage was a regular part of dishes throughout Europe, and on some occasions, it was considered prominent.
And who could imagine that lettuce would be cultivated by the Egyptians around 2700 BC?
Ancient Egyptians used lettuce to produce oil from its seeds and had a place in some rituals of the cult. Furthermore, Egyptians passed lettuce to Greeks, and Greeks to Romans – all in fair trade.
In the 1000s, lettuce was considered natural medicine, and just a few centuries later, Cristopher Columbus brought it to the New World.
Today, the world’s largest producer of cabbage and lettuce is China, and it’s holding up to 47% of the world’s production.
Meet Mr. Cabbage
Let us start with some usual information about cabbage. Cabbage is a green leafy vegetable from the Brassicaceae family.
But, cabbage is not always green-leafed – its varieties are red cabbage and savoy.
Cabbage is a strong and endurable vegetable that can survive low temperatures. On the other hand, it needs a constant supply of water otherwise, it will dry up.
In our homes, during cold winter days, fruit baskets are full of citrus fruits because they are rich in vitamin C, right?
Although a vegetable, cabbage contains more vitamin C than, for example – an orange, which is traditionally considered to be the primary source of this vitamin.
And that is not all! Vitamin A, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, dietary fibers, proteins, and a little bit of sugar are also in the nutritive chart of cabbage.
What does this mean for us?
- Because it contains a power source of vitamin C, cabbage is taking care of our skin health, makes our bones stronger, watches metabolism, and affects mood.
- Dietary fibers from cabbage aid our digestion, and it is good for stomach-related health problems.
- Also, there are antioxidants present in the cabbage which means that they are taking care of some free radicals which may be sneaking into our bodies. These radicals, in time, could be a trigger for tumors, cancer, or heart disease. So, cabbage can’t cure cancer, but it is useful for preventing it. Some scientific studies took place in China, and the conclusion was that number of breast cancer was reduced in women when they used cabbage in their diets.
- When we were kids, older ones often told us that carrot is good for our eyes. Now, when we are older, cabbage is taking care of good eye health and can delay the formation of cataracts.
- We have said that there is also red cabbage. Well, red cabbage is a booster for brain health because it has “forgotten” vitamin K which is protecting nerves from damage. Likewise, vitamin K increases concentration and mental functions.
Ok. Now it is time for lettuce!
Lettuce – Helping Us From Ancient Times
Lettuce belongs to green vegetables, but the first major thing that differs it from cabbage is that lettuce is from the Asteraceae family.
Lettuce is a very sensitive vegetable, especially during summer’s high temperatures, so it requires shade to grow unharmed. Also, in order of preventing it from drying up, lettuce should frequently be watered.
Back in the Medieval days, lettuce was considered a natural medicine that could help men troubled with blood pressure, insomnia, deficiency of appetite, or digestive problems.
Similar to cabbage, lettuce contains almost the same number of vitamins, minerals, and proteins, but at different values.
These are the good, healthy things that are found in lettuce:
- Vitamins A, B6, C, E, K,
- Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin
- A few minerals: iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, zinc
- And, of course – carbohydrates, moisture, fat, dietary fiber, and sugar.
Long list, right? This is what benefits we can have from lettuce.
- Believe it or not, it is scientifically proven that lettuce is protecting our neuronal cells. What are those? Neurons are cells in the brain which are making our memory functions. Opposite to that, the death of neurons can result in loss of remembrance. When the death of neuronal cells reaches critical levels, the unfortunate result of that is Alzheimer’s disease. So, lettuce is excellent brain food.
- As well as cabbage, lettuce also provides vitamin A which is good for eye health.
- If you are having weight control issues, don’t be worried – lettuce can help. Being rich in fiber and cellulose, lettuce helps digestion and can be used for weight control.
- I’ve already said that some time ago lettuce was used to help with the lack of sleep. Nothing is different nowadays. In the leaves of lettuce can be found lactucarium. Lactucarium is a white-colored fluid that can induce sleep. With no side effects, drinking a tonic made of lettuce can give you a good sleep.
- Lettuce is also an anti-cancer fighter. No, it can’t cure it, but it can control breast cancer cells and leukemia cells.
- Similarly to cabbage, lettuce is taking care of bone health, improves metabolism, and lowers the risk of high blood pressure and heart diseases.
Well, so far this makes a pretty good summary of cabbage and lettuce.
And if you are still wondering what the differences between these two veggies are, here is an abstract:
- Cabbage is from Brassicaceae family and lettuce is from Asteraceae.
- Etymologically, the word “cabbage” is derived from “Normanno-Picard caboche” which means “head,” and lettuce stems from the Latin word “lac” which means “milk.”
- Cabbage is denser and packed with leaves. Therefore it is heavier than lettuce.
- Both plants cabbage and lettuce have a short stem, but lettuce’s stem lengthens and branches as the plant grows.
- Related to cooking dishes, lettuce is almost always served as a salad and does not have any particular smell.
- On the other side – cabbage is boiled in water and served cooked as a side dish with meat.
- When cooked, cabbage releases a sulfur smell which is unpleasant to some people.
- Finally, cabbage is way richer in vitamin C and dietary fiber, but lettuce contains fewer calories than cabbage and more vitamin A.
Difference Between Cabbage and Lettuce: Nutritional Values
| Nutrient | Cabbage – Nutritional Value | Lettuce – Nutritional Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 25 | 17 |
| Vitamin A | 2% of DV | 174% of DV |
| Vitamin B6 | 6% | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 61% | 40% |
| Iron | 3% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 3% | 3% |
| Sugar | 3.2 g | 1.2 g |
| Potassium | 5% | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber | 10% | 8% |
| Protein | 3% (1.3 g) | 2% (1.2 g) |
We have slowly, step-by-step narrowed it down to cooking. I’ve mentioned that cabbage is usually prepared as a cooked dish and lettuce as a raw salad. Therefore, recipes are moving in that direction.
But before we start, there is something that we can agree about – every chef, beginner or master, requires some good tools.
And when it comes down to preparing and cutting vegetables, the choice surely is – knives. Which ones to choose, how much do they cost, which are the best ones?
Related: How to choose the perfect ceramic knife
Not so long ago, I’ve written an article about experimenting with Asian kitchens, and my choice was the king of cabbage – bok choy. Here you can read how to properly cut and prepare bok choy.
When preparing a vegetable dish, it is very important to know how much time it is needed for cooking it. We don’t want dishes to be overcooked or uncooked. So, don’t panic and don’t race the clock, this information on vegetable cooking times can help you.
If you are looking for some excellent recipes on how to cook cabbage, you can find a bunch of quality ideas in the resources below.
In need of salad, wrap, soup, or juice made out of lettuce, well – check the resources to see what I have found.
See Also: Vegetable Choppers – My Choices
Throughout the writing of this article, I was thinking – about what to write at the end of it. It is tough to say what veggie is better – they both are excellent and super-healthy!
Whether you are in need of salad, a side dish, a cooked meal – or, you want to take care of your health, either way, you can’t do wrong with cabbage and lettuce.
The differences related to these two vegetables are about plant families with fancy Latin names, origins, and growing them, but in nutritive values, they are ALMOST the same.
Now, I think I will leave the computer, and make some sandwiches. Lettuce is fresh, washed, and already on the cut table…
Until next time 🙂
Resources: