Lettuce has up to 1.8 grams of fiber per 100g. Even a small 1-cup serving of lettuce contributes to the daily fiber intake, as it provides 5% of the recommended daily intake!
Lettuce is a good source of fiber
Romaine
Lettuce contains moderate amounts of fiber. Romaine lettuce (or cos lettuce) contains 1.8 grams of fiber per 100g. A bunch contains approximately 10.5 grams of fiber.[1]
In fact, romaine lettuce contributes to the daily fiber intake:
- 1 cup: A small serving of contains about 1.35 grams of fiber. This dose is about 5% of the recommended daily intake.
- 2 cups: a large salad contains 2.7 grams of fiber, or almost 10% of the Daily Value!
Iceberg
Iceberg lettuce contains 30% less fiber than Romain lettuce. Iceberg lettuce contains only 1.2 grams of fiber per 100g. A cup contains 0.9 grams of fiber.
Does lettuce help us meet our daily needs of fiber?
A serving of lettuce helps us meet our daily needs of fiber. But, we have to eat a big salad with lettuce to get 10% of the recommended daily intake.
Small amounts of lettuce in sandwiches or toasts don’t contribute to the daily fiber intake, though. Even so, you should add lettuce to your favorite tuna or turkey sandwich. It helps promote satiety!
Do lettuce have more fiber than other greens?
Actually, lettuce has a much lower fiber content as compared to other favorite salad greens.
Kale is the richest green in fiber. Dandelion, beet, turnip, and mustard greens are also high in fiber!
| fiber (grams per 100g) | |
| kale | 4.1 |
| beet greens | 3.7 |
| dandelion greens | 3.5 |
| parsley, fresh | 3.3 |
| turnip greens | 3.2 |
| mustard greens | 3.2 |
| carrots | 2.8 |
| broccoli | 2.6 |
| cabbage | 2.5 |
| spinach | 2.2 |
| asparagus | 2.1 |
| dill, fresh | 2.1 |
| lettuce | 1.8 |
| green onions | 1.8 |
| celery | 1.6 |
| tomato | 1.2 |
| bell pepper | 0.9 |
| cucumber | 0.5 |
Cabbage salad substantially contributes to the daily fiber intake as well.
Cucumber, tomato, and bell peppers have the lowest amount of fiber than other common vegetables. However, we should eat them on salads and sandwiches.
Other common foods high in fiber
Only plants contain decent amounts of fiber. Animal products contain no fiber. Moreover, refined plant-based foods contain negligible amounts of fiber. For instance, whole grain bread contains approximately 3 times more fiber than white bread!
Above all, you should consume more legumes and beans. They’re the richest foods in fiber. For instance, a serving of lentils provides more than 50% of the recommended daily intake!
Why should we eat fiber?
A diet high in fiber is beneficial for health. It has been associated with a significantly lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. It may lower elevated blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity and enhance immune function![2]
We should consume at least 28 grams of fiber on a 2,000 calorie diet. But, 90% of Americans fail to meet the recommended daily intake! So, it’s crucial to start consuming more foods high in fiber.
On the other hand, getting too much fiber from food is rather unlikely.