Content
The difference between Iceberg lettuce and Chinese cabbage is that these are two different crops that have a very distant biological relationship. There is also a difference in appearance - if Chinese cabbage is elongated, then Iceberg lettuce, on the contrary, is round. As for the benefits, the Beijing culture wins in terms of composition and content of vitamins and minerals. These and other comparison parameters are described in detail in the article.
Botanical description
Even though both plants are similar in appearance and taste, there is a big difference between them. First of all, it must be said that biologically these are different plants. Peking cabbage (Pekinga) belongs to the Brassica family, a subspecies of Turnips. Those. This is a real cabbage, which is a relative of cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and all the others.
As for Iceberg lettuce, it is a plant from the Asteraceae family (genus Lettuce). In appearance it is a head of cabbage, so the crop really resembles cabbage. Although in fact the difference is more than obvious.
Iceberg lettuce
This is an unusual representative of vegetables. Formally classified as a salad head crop, it belongs to a different family.The foliage is a pleasant light green color. In the upper part of the head of cabbage it is more saturated, and in the lower part, on the contrary, it is lighter.
The variety was developed in the USA. Moreover, it was originally called crispy salad, since the foliage is juicy and has a rather pleasant consistency. Subsequently it was called Iceberg due to the fact that the foliage had to be stored in ice.
Iceberg lettuce has a round shape
Beijing cabbage
This crop is a biennial plant, although in the temperate climate zone of Russia it is grown only as an annual. The foliage is tender and juicy, forming a rosette or loose forks. The color is lighter, with a delicate shade of green. The lower part is pure white.
The forks taste crispy and tender, very thin, like “pancakes”. At the same time, the base is significantly compacted. They do not form stalks; instead, they form thick petioles, which are also edible and no less juicy than the foliage.
Head of Chinese cabbage longitudinal, loose structure
Difference between Chinese cabbage and iceberg lettuce
There are differences between these plants, although there are some common features. They are similar in appearance, forming a fairly dense head of cabbage with light green leaves. When fresh, the leaf plates are crispy, quite juicy, with a delicate taste. They contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and other beneficial components. But there is a difference - it is associated both with appearance and with composition and use in cooking. The main parameters are described below.
Appearance
If you look closely, you can see the difference in appearance. Iceberg lettuce produces a head of round shape, reminiscent of cabbage. However, its leaves are much thinner, and they are arranged loosely. Both young and old lettuce do not have dense heads.
Peking also has a loose structure.However, the shape of the leaves is more elongated, and the heads of cabbage are more reminiscent of a cylinder. In this regard, the difference between both plants is quite obvious.
Composition and calorie content
There is not much difference in composition. Both products contain almost the same components:
- vitamin A;
- WITH;
- TO;
- Group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9);
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- manganese;
- copper;
- calcium;
- selenium;
- zinc;
- phosphorus;
- iron.
The difference is related only to the content of substances. Chinese cabbage contains more vitamin compounds and minerals - in this sense, Iceberg lettuce is not so healthy. As for caloric content and nutritional value, there is also a difference - the corresponding parameters are presented in the table.
Indicator per 100 g | Chinese cabbage | Iceberg lettuce |
Calorie content, kcal | 16 | 14 |
Proteins, g | 1,2 | 0,9 |
Fats, g | 0,2 | 0,1 |
Carbohydrates, g | 2,0 | 1,8 |
Dietary fiber, g | 1,2 | 1,2 |
As can be seen from the table, both products have similar caloric content and nutritional value. Moreover, along with the vitamin-mineral complex, they also contain dietary fiber - cellulose. It has a beneficial effect on the intestines - they cleanse it of toxins, toxic substances, and reduce cholesterol. Along with this, fiber creates a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Therefore, it is recommended to use it for weight loss, and it can be used either fresh or cooked (there is no difference).
Beijing is healthier than salad varieties
Application
In culinary terms, both products are very similar; there is not much difference between them. The taste of Iceberg lettuce and Chinese cabbage is pleasant, neutral, the leaves are tender and juicy. This makes them much more suitable for making salads.
They are also used for lining plates on which meat, fish, side dishes and other main courses are served.Suitable for cutting vegetables, all kinds of cold appetizers (both for serving and as an ingredient in a dish).
Which is healthier: Iceberg lettuce or Chinese cabbage?
The answer to this question is quite simple - for this you can pay attention to the chemical composition. Even though both plants contain the same components, there is a difference in the quantitative ratio. Beijing culture is more useful because it contains more vitamins and minerals - this is clearly seen from the table (the amounts of each element in 100 g of leaves are presented as a percentage of the daily share).
Substance | Chinese cabbage | Iceberg |
A | 1,8% | 2,8% |
IN 1 | 2,7% | 2,7% |
AT 2 | 2,8% | 1,4% |
AT 5 | 2,1% | 1,8% |
AT 6 | 12% | 2,1% |
AT 9 | 20% | 7,2% |
WITH | 30% | 3,1% |
E | 0,8% | 1,2% |
TO | 36% | 20% |
PP | 2% | 0,6% |
Potassium | 9,5% | 5,6% |
Calcium | 7,7% | 1,8% |
Magnesium | 3,3% | 1,8% |
Phosphorus | 3,6% | 2,5% |
Iron | 1,7% | 2,3% |
Manganese | 9,5% | 6,3% |
Copper | 3,6% | 2,5% |
Selenium | 1,1% | 0,2% |
Zinc | 1,9% | 1,3% |
In general, cabbage is much healthier than lettuce. It contains 10 times more vitamin C, three times more vitamin B9, and two times more vitamin B2. However, the taste of the leaves is approximately the same.
At the same time, it is not worth assigning a clear victory to the Beijing plant in terms of usefulness. The difference is that the Iceberg lettuce crop, in contrast, is included in the ranking of the healthiest products in the CDC category (a study based on the US Center for Disease Prevention).
In addition, quite a lot of salad varieties have been bred, for example, Rimsky, Salanova and a number of others. They differ in taste, shape and color of foliage. The plant can be used in a variety of dishes. But it is worth considering that it contains up to 97% water (of the total mass). And Beijing culture is about 94%. At first glance, the difference is insignificant. Although in fact, cabbage is less watery, and the concentration of nutrients in it is therefore noticeably higher, which is reflected in the table.
What to choose
You can choose either one or the other product. In terms of benefits, Chinese cabbage is better, the difference here is obvious. In addition, it is often more affordable in price. The leaves are approximately the same, they have an oblong, elongated shape, great for salads.
Salad leaves are convenient to use for serving
But it’s easier to line dishes with rounded leaves – Iceberg is indispensable in this regard. Therefore, it can be purchased just for serving dishes. And if there is no salad, you can lay out several pekin leaves in the form of a flower, cutting off unnecessary edges.
Conclusion
The difference between Iceberg lettuce and Chinese cabbage is quite obvious and striking even upon first inspection. At the same time, they have the same taste - the foliage is juicy and quite pleasant. They are used both as part of vegetable appetizers and for serving meat and fish dishes.
