What is tatsoi: features, benefits and other varieties
There are many vegetables and greens to decorate our salads, and among all the varieties there are some that are more used and notable than others. We will explain here what is a tattoo. It is a type of lettuce that is mainly eaten in salads and has unique properties. They bring many benefits to our body if we consume them regularly.
For this reason, we will devote this article to telling what a tattoo is, what its features and meaning are.
What is a tattoo
Tatsoi lettuce is a vegetable from the cruciferous family. Also known as mustard spinach, it has various health benefits. In fact, all representatives of this flora benefit if they are regularly introduced into the diet. Please note that it is recommended to augment your intake of plant-based foods. These foods contain antioxidants, nutrients and crucial vitamins.
From a nutritional point of view, tatsoi lettuce is distinguished by the content of vitamins A and C and the presence of carotenoid compounds inside it. Also concentrates folic acid and other minerals such as calcium and potassium.
However, most of the positive effects of its consumption are associated with glycosides, a family of phytonutrients with high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also a good source of fiber.
Benefits of adding lettuce to your diet
Eating lettuce regularly can provide many health benefits. However, do not give up experiencing them, you should take care of a complete diet, making sure it is varied and balanced.
Improve bone strength
Tatsoi lettuce provides a lot of calcium. According to research published in the journal Nutrients, this mineral is key to ensuring good, long-term bone health. While dairy products are a good source of dairy, it is also critical to include other foods in your diet that meet your needs.
Helps prevent vision problems
Due to the vitamin A contained in lettuce, the incidence of many eye health-related diseases is reduced. According to research published in the journal Ophthalmology Genetics, this nutrient protects against macular degeneration, a process associated with medium-term vision loss.
Reduce your risk of cancer
Cruciferous vegetables contain nutrients that may support reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. This is proven by a review published in the Review of Food Science and Nutrition.
This is due to the ability of phytochemicals to neutralize the formation of free radicals, which accumulate in tissues and cause ineffective cell replication. This is an ideal medium for the emergence of cancer cells.
How can I eat?
Tatsoi lettuce leaves can be eaten raw, boiled or fried. They are often used to prepare salads, soups, cocktails, quiche and stews. However, remember that many cooking processes result in the loss of crucial nutrients, like phytochemicals.
Therefore, it is best to combine its consumption raw with vegetables as an ingredient in more intricate piquant recipes. In this way, a supply of high-quality antioxidants can be ensured.
Can it be grown at home?
Tatsoi lettuce can be grown at home. The positive side is that this plant tolerates very diverse climates so well that it can be found in almost every country. To do this, sow the seeds in soil fertilized with a balanced fertilizer.
Remember that this vegetable grows best in frost, so the best time to plant it is autumn. It does not require much water and is usually harvested about 3 weeks after planting.
Like other representatives The cruciferous tatsoi lettuce has many health benefits when consumed regularly. It is known for its nutrient and crucial vitamin content.
Now you should alternate between raw and cooked foods to avoid losing antioxidants. On the other hand, it is critical that your diet is varied and balanced to obtain the beneficial effects of consuming it.
Tattoo recipe
With the recipes below, we want to give you an idea on how to augment the presence of tatsoi lettuce in your diet.
Ingredients
- 1 pepper
- 1/2 green onion.
- 1 clove of garlic.
- 2 tiny carrots.
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger.
- 1 tiny lettuce
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Juice of 1/2 lemon with grated peel.
The first thing you need to do is pour extra virgin olive oil into a pan and heat it over medium heat. Add cumin and fry until golden brown. In this point, add ginger, chopped garlic and chopped chili. Stir constantly and when the garlic changes color, add the chopped green onion.
Immediately afterwards, add the carrots and season, continuing the frying process for 3 minutes. At this point, the juice from half a lemon is squeezed together with the lemon zest. When the liquid evaporates, add a little water (2 tablespoons).
Cook the entire mixture over high heat until the water will evaporate and the carrots will become gentle. It may take 5-7 minutes to reach this point. Once the carrots are gentle, add the tatsoi to the wok and fry for a few minutes with another tablespoon of water. Cover the pot and heat for a few minutes to soften the lettuce. When all the liquid has evaporated, the dish is ready to be served. It is recommended to eat it balmy.
Other varieties
Once we know what tatsoi is and everything related to it, we will see more varieties of lettuce:
Red chard
It has a subtle flavor and intense green color with pomegranate stems. It has a special flavor, similar to spinach sprouts, and can be eaten raw or cooked. It grows slowly and gives the leaf veins a greater reddish sheen, creating greater contrast with the natural greenery. The leaves are carefully selected to maintain the viability and uniformity of the product, eliminating the weakest leaves.
Batavian lettuce
An annual plant, typical of semi-temperate regions. As with the French variety, the buds are enormous and firm, have long, loose leaves with slightly curled and wavy edges, and a crisp, buttery texture. Like long lettuce, there are different varieties of this lettuce. Generally, These are round lettuces that vary in color from shadowy green to lightweight gold.
Meanwhile, red Batavia shoots can be identified by their curly leaves, which are pale green at the base and turn glowing red at the tips. As winter approaches, it becomes more and more intensely red.
I hope that with this information you will learn more about what a tattoo is, its features and benefits.