Types Of Salad Leaves

There are many different types of salad leaves. These are also referred to as salad green or green leaf salads. Salad leaves come in a wide variety of flavours and taste. Whether you’re looking for sweet, soft, subtle, or bitter flavours, there are many different many types of salad leaves which can be used to make salads.
Some common types of salad leaves are listed below:
Cos (romaine) lettuce: This lettuce has dark green leaves. They are rich in potassium and also contain carotenoids. They are the perfect base for Caesar salads.
Chicory: This is a pale, long salad leaf vegetable. It is rich in vitamin B. It has a slightly bitter taste but the leaves are crispy and add a good texture to the salad.
Frisee endive: Curly, green leaves with a bitter taste. Inner leaves are milder in flavour. Also known as curly endive, frisee is a form of chicory, and belongs to the Compositae or daisy family.
Lollo rosso: These are green leaves with a red colour at the tip. It contains the antioxidant quercetin, which is believed to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Iceberg lettuce: A round and compact shape with pale green leaves and not much taste. It stays fresh longer than any other type of lettuce, if kept at a constant cool temperature. Iceberg is a good source of folate, which is important for pregnant women.
Lamb’s lettuce: Small leaves, similar to watercress in appearance. Fresh leaves are sweeter in taste.
Radicchio: This is a red type of chicory that looks like a small cabbage in shape. It is very bitter in flavour and should be mixed with other leaves.
Rocket: Small, elongated, feathery leaves with a peppery taste – delicious with Parmesan. It also contains compounds called Glucosinolates which are believed to have a possible protective role against certain types of cancers.
Spinach: Raw spinach can be added to salads. The fresh, leafy taste is especially delicious with egg, tomato and lentil dishes. They have a delicate taste but are very rich in iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins A, B, C and K.
Watercress: Watercress is rich in minerals and vitamins. The leaf is popularly eaten in soup and salads. The leaves are dark and full of iron and calcium and they are quite strong tasting.