What Is the Difference Between Red Leaf Lettuce and Green Leaf Lettuce? Which Is Healthier?

Red and green leaf lettuce belong to the same species but represent different varieties. Red and green lettuce are both nutrient-dense vegetables to add to your diet, but green leaf lettuce is slightly higher in vitamins and minerals.

Red leaf lettuce is a popular lettuce often added to salad mixes. It looks a lot like romaine but with red leaves or tips and loose, soft leaves. Red and green leaf lettuces are specimens of the same plant but represent different cultivars. 

Lettuce, species Lactuca sativa, is one of the most popular vegetables and is often included in salads. There are several different types of lettuce: 

• Cos or romaine
• Crisphead or iceberg
• Stalk, known as stem
• Butterhead, also called loosehead
• Leafy or loose-leaf
• Latin
• Oilseed

Red leaf lettuce is a non-heading or leafy lettuce with red or purple pigment. This color comes from a buildup of natural plant chemicals called anthocyanins. 

There are a few varieties of red leaf lettuce, each with different growing traits and features. Common varieties include:

• Ruby
• Red fire
• Red sails
• Royal red
• Lolla rosa

Red and green leaf lettuce belong to the same species but represent different varieties. Both need cool temperatures and shade for proper growth and taste, but under the right conditions, they grow fast and without requiring much care. 

Appearance and texture

Unlike other lettuce types, leaf lettuce doesn’t grow in a rosette or head. Instead, both grow as loose leaves on the stem or root of the plant. The stem is short, and the leaves grow around it in a clump or mound. 

Both types have smooth, curled, round, serrated, or ruffled leaves, but red leaf lettuce is completely red or at least has red tips. The amount of sunlight affects the pigment concentration in the leaves and the color intensity. You might find your lettuce isn’t as colorful if you grow it under LED lights in your home or a greenhouse during the winter in colder climates with less UV light. 

Taste

Both green and red leaf lettuce have crisp leaves and a mild, sweet flavor, but growing conditions and the amount of sunlight can influence the flavor. Lettuce exposed to high heat or too much (or too little) water generally tastes bitter. 

Uses

Red and green leaf lettuce are best eaten fresh and raw as salad or as a garnish in your tacos, wraps, burgers, and sandwiches. Compared to green lettuce, red leaf adds a dash of color to your favorite salads and dishes, which can make them more visually appealing. 

On their own, these lettuces can be somewhat bland, but you can always dress up your salad with your favorite vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and a vinaigrette. You can also mix several types of lettuce for variety.

Red and green lettuce are both nutrient-dense vegetables to add to your diet. Green leaf lettuce is slightly higher in vitamins and minerals, whereas red leaf is higher in anthocyanins, which have some health benefits.

Vitamins and minerals

Both types of lettuce are sources of vitamins and minerals. Their nutrient content can vary widely depending on growing conditions, though. 

One cup of shredded raw, green leaf lettuce contains:

• Potassium: 69 milligrams
• Calcium: 13 milligrams
• Phosphorus: 10 milligrams
• Magnesium: 5 milligrams
• Vitamin C: 3 milligrams
• Vitamin A: 133 micrograms
• Folate: 14 micrograms

In comparison, one cup of shredded, raw red leaf lettuce contains:

• Potassium: 52 milligrams
• Calcium: 9 milligrams
• Phosphorus: 7 milligrams
• Magnesium: 3 milligrams
• Vitamin C: 1 milligram
• Vitamin A: 105 micrograms
• Folate: 10 micrograms

Fat, fiber, and protein

Red and green leaf lettuces provide small amounts of dietary fiber and protein and trace amounts of healthy fats. One cup of the shredded green leaf has more fiber: 0.4 grams compared to 0.2 grams in red leaf lettuce.

Green leaf also has more protein: 0.5 grams compared to 0.3 grams in red leaf, but red leaf lettuce has slightly more fat than green leaf. Neither is a good source of fat, fiber, or protein, though. As a counterexample, one cooked artichoke contains 7 grams of dietary fiber and 3.5 grams of protein.

Adding other foods to your lettuce mix or salad can help you get these nutrients and create a balanced meal. For example, you can include:

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Beans and legumes
• Grains like quinoa or bulgur
• Avocados
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Lean meats

Calories

Lettuce is mostly composed of water, vitamins, and minerals, making it an excellent low-calorie vegetable to add to your diet. One cup of green leaf lettuce has slightly more water at 34 grams compared to 27 grams in one cup of red leaf, but they’re both virtually calorie-free. One cup of green leaf has 5 calories, while one cup of red leaf has 3. 

You can eat a lot of leaf lettuce without taking in too many calories, which can help you feel full and meet your daily targets. Pay attention to the vinaigrettes or dressing you add to your salads, though. These can quickly add sugar, fat, and calories. Choose an oil-based vinaigrette and limit it to 2 tablespoons. 

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are naturally existing plant chemicals, like anthocyanins. These polyphenols are responsible for the blue, purple, and red colors in fruits and vegetables, such as red leaf lettuce. Eating a diet rich in dark, colorful fruits and vegetables can help lower inflammation and protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. 

Serving size

Nutrition guidelines recommend that adult women get 2 cups of vegetables daily and adult men get 2.5 cups daily. You can include leaf lettuce in your daily servings of vegetables, but it takes twice as much lettuce to get the equivalent of one serving of vegetables. So, if you want to get your 2 cups of vegetables from red leaf lettuce, you actually need to consume 4 cups. 

Red and green leaf lettuce are both nutritious, low-calorie vegetables. While the green leaf might have more vitamins and minerals, the red leaf is rich in polyphenols that promote health. Try adding both types to your salad mix for a boost in nutrients.