Why is lettuce bitter?

The nutritional value of lettuce is relatively high. It has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and stopping bleeding. When eating cold lettuce, if you find that the lettuce is bitter, don't worry. It is not because the lettuce is deteriorating. This is related to the variety and the conditions during planting, such as soil and fertilizer reasons, etc. Bitter lettuce is edible and has the effect of detoxifying and reducing fire.

Why is lettuce bitter?

1. Different varieties

Some varieties of lettuce contain more lactucin, so the newly grown lettuce will naturally be bitter. In addition, if there is too little water during the growth process, the lettuce will also become bitter.

2. Natural conditions

Natural conditions can cause some lettuces to taste bitter. Due to untimely harvesting, the growth period of lettuce is extended. In addition, during the growth process, the light conditions are not very good, resulting in a relatively low content of sweeteners, making the lettuce bitter.

3. Soil factors

When growing lettuce, if the heavy metal content in the soil is relatively high, the grown lettuce will be particularly bitter.

4. Improper fertilization

If lettuce is not provided with sufficient nitrogen fertilizer during its growth process, the newly grown lettuce will taste bitter.

Can you eat bitter lettuce?

Bitter lettuce is edible. Because the stems and leaves of lettuce contain lettuce, a substance that can make the lettuce bitter, and if the lettuce is not exposed to sunlight for a long time during its growth process, its bitterness will increase. However, this does not affect its eatability. Eating bitter lettuce will not cause any harm to the human body, so you can eat it with confidence.

How to make lettuce less bitter? You can blanch the lettuce in boiling water, or soak the lettuce in water in the form of sections. Both methods can reduce the bitterness of the lettuce. You can also cut off a small section of the root of the lettuce, which can also reduce the bitterness of the lettuce.