Celtuce
Celtuce (Lactuca sativa var. asparagina, augustana, or angustata), also called stem lettuce, celery lettuce, asparagus lettuce, or Chinese lettuce, IPA (UK,US) /ˈsɛlt.əs/, is a cultivar of lettuce grown primarily for its thick stem, used as a vegetable. It is especially popular in China, and is called wosun (Chinese: 莴笋; pinyin: wōsǔn) or woju (Chinese: 莴苣; pinyin: wōjù) (although the latter name may also be used to mean lettuce in general), some of the places in south of China also call it as Youmaicai (Chinese:油麦菜) .
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
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Energy | 75 kJ (18 kcal) |
3.65 g | |
Dietary fiber | 1.7 g |
0.3 g | |
0.85 g | |
Vitamins | |
Vitamin A equiv. |
(22%) 175 μg |
Thiamine (B1) |
(5%) 0.055 mg |
Riboflavin (B2) |
(6%) 0.07 mg |
Niacin (B3) |
(4%) 0.55 mg |
Pantothenic acid (B5) |
(4%) 0.183 mg |
Vitamin B6 |
(4%) 0.05 mg |
Folate (B9) |
(12%) 46 μg |
Vitamin C |
(23%) 19.5 mg |
Minerals | |
Calcium |
(4%) 39 mg |
Iron |
(4%) 0.55 mg |
Magnesium |
(8%) 28 mg |
Manganese |
(33%) 0.688 mg |
Phosphorus |
(6%) 39 mg |
Potassium |
(7%) 330 mg |
Sodium |
(1%) 11 mg |
Zinc |
(3%) 0.27 mg |
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Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
The stem is usually harvested at a length of around 15–20 cm and a diameter of around 3–4 cm. It is crisp, moist, and mildly flavored, and typically prepared by slicing and then stir frying with more strongly flavored ingredients.