Iceberg lettuce vs romaine lettuce: which is healthier?

Romaine lettuce is more nutrient-dense, scoring 96/100 against 79/100 for iceberg lettuce. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Iceberg lettuce

79/100High nutrient density

14 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup shredded: 72 g

Romaine lettuce

96/100Excellent nutrient density

17 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup shredded: 47 g

Higher score

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesIceberg lettuce14 vs 17 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even0.9 vs 1.2 g per 100 g
More fiberRomaine lettuce1.2 vs 2.1 g per 100 g
Less sugarRomaine lettuce2 vs 1.2 g per 100 g
More potassiumRomaine lettuce141 vs 247 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even<0.1 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Iceberg lettuce, 100 g	Romaine lettuce, 100 g	Iceberg lettuce, 72 g	Romaine lettuce, 47 g
Calories	14 kcal	17 kcal	10 kcal	8 kcal
Protein	0.9 g	1.2 g	0.6 g	0.6 g
Carbohydrates	3 g	3.3 g	2.1 g	1.5 g
Sugars	2 g	1.2 g	1.4 g	0.6 g
Fiber	1.2 g	2.1 g	0.9 g	1 g
Fat	0.1 g	0.3 g	0.1 g	0.1 g
Saturated fat	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	2.8 mg	4 mg	2 mg	1.9 mg
Vitamin A	25 µg	436 µg	18 µg	205 µg
Potassium	141 mg	247 mg	102 mg	116 mg
Iron	0.4 mg	1 mg	0.3 mg	0.5 mg
Calcium	18 mg	33 mg	13 mg	16 mg
Magnesium	7 mg	14 mg	5 mg	6.6 mg
Sodium	10 mg	8 mg	7.2 mg	3.8 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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