[Newsletter] The Smartest Coach in the Room

Iceberg lettuce vs. other leafy green "superfoods." Every Saturday, The Smartest Coach in the Room delivers helpful takeaways on the hottest nutrition and health topics and the world’s most effective coaching techniques. (Did some amazing friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( Iceberg Lettuce: Don’t Call It a Comeback About 20 years ago, something strange happened: Iceberg lettuce started appearing on “do not eat” lists. Yes, refreshing, crunchy, almost zero-calorie iceberg lettuce. Magazines said it had “no nutritional value” (not true, btw) and that you should always eat baby spinach instead. (Before the kale revolution, obvi.) And this was without knowing whether or not you actually liked baby spinach. Which just goes to show: Those universal “do not eat” lists? They’re almost always a bad idea.* Now let’s take this one step further, and have a look at why one might choose iceberg lettuce even over kale, the reigning leafy green “superfood.” (Sorry, baby spinach—you had a good run, though!) To be fair, kale does beat iceberg lettuce in a head-to-head comparison of nutrient density. Kale is especially rich in vitamins A, C, and K, and also several disease-fighting compounds like quercetin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and sulforaphane. But that doesn’t mean iceberg lettuce is devoid of nutrients. It’s considered an “excellent” source of vitamin K (though it has considerably less than kale), and it’s also rich in apigenin, a phytochemical thought to be anti-carcinogenic. Take that, trendy "superfoods"! Here’s where context comes in. When you look beyond the nutrition label, there are other factors worth considering. Iceberg lettuce might be the better choice if you… ✅ Are more likely to eat a salad if you use it as a base ✅ Can only stomach kale with an excessive amount of butter, salad dressing, or oil ✅ Will happily eat a good portion of it, but can only manage a couple of bites of kale ✅ Are looking for a little extra “crunch” in your meal ✅ Want more volume with few calories and lots of water, helping you feel more satisfied ✅ Are trying to increase your vegetable intake and iceberg lettuce is one of the only ones you like But kale might be the better choice if you… BTW: Although we’ve had some fun at the expense of baby spinach and kale, they're both great foods that have lots of benefits. So enjoy all these leafy greens! Or at least the ones you like the taste of. (For more food comparisons, check out this infographic: [‘Superfoods’ vs. ‘Regular’ Foods]( * Anything poisonous should most definitely be on a “don’t eat” list. I’d also add toenails—though come to think of it, that’s probably just a personal preference. Want to learn more about nutrition science and how to use it to help people make healthy eating and lifestyle changes? Check out our [Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification](. It combines the science of nutrition with the art of coaching so you can help anyone make evidenced-informed decisions and achieve their most important health and fitness goals. [Become a Certified Nutrition Coach - Join the presale list for the #1 rated PN Level 1 Nutrition Certification]( Take care, Alex --------------------------------------------------------------- Alex Picot-Annand, PN2, Holistic Nutritionist Editorial Director Precision Nutrition Home of the world’s top nutrition coaches --------------------------------------------------------------- What did you think of this email? Precision Nutrition Business Insider's #1 Choice for Nutrition Certifications in 2022 Forbes 2024 Best Health Coach Certification Program --- To view this email as a web page, click [here.]( Precision Nutrition Inc. 18 King Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, M5C 1C4, Canada Finally, nutrition makes sense. Visit us at [www.precisionnutrition.com]( today. Follow us on [Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences](