Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an annual plant of the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable, but sometimes for its stem and seeds. Lettuce is most often used for salads, although it is also seen in other kinds of food, such as soups, sandwiches and wraps; it can also be grilled. One variety, the celtuce (asparagus lettuce), is grown for its stems, which are eaten either raw or cooked. In addition to its main use as a leafy green, it has also gathered religious and medicinal significance over centuries of human consumption. Europe and North America originally dominated the market for lettuce, but by the late 20th century the consumption of lettuce had spread throughout the world., world production of lettuce and chicory was 27 million tonnes, 56% of which came from China. Lettuce was originally farmed by the ancient Egyptians, who transformed it from a plant whose seeds were used to obtain oil into an important food
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) es una planta anual de la familia daisy, Asteraceae. Se cultiva más a menudo como un vegetal de hojas, pero a veces por su tronco y semillas. Lettuce se utiliza más a menudo para ensaladas, aunque también se ve en otros tipos de alimentos, como sopas, sándwiches y envases; también se puede grillar. Una variedad, el celta (asparagus lettuce), se cultiva por sus hojas, que se comen crudas o cocidas. Además de su uso principal como un verde de hojas, también ha recogido significado religioso y medicinal a lo largo de los siglos de consumo humano. Europa y América del Norte originalmente dominó el mercado de la lettuce, pero a finales del siglo XX el consumo de lettuce se había extendido por todo el mundo, la producción mundial de lettuce y chicory era de 27 millones de toneladas, 56% de las cuales provienen de China.