Endive: calories, vitamins and nutrients in salad
When you think of this salad, the first thing that probably comes to mind is its bitter taste. But in addition to the many bitter compounds it contains, which can have a positive effect on health, endive is also very low in calories. We reveal the different types of endive lettuce available and the nutritional values of endives.
Storage time*
| BioFresh Fruit & Vegetable safe just above 0 °C with high humidity | 20 days |
| EasyFresh safe 7 °C with air regulation plate | 10 days |
| Fridge compartment 7 °C | 7 days |
| Freezer compartment -18 °C | not recommended |
The key points
- Low in calories and rich in nutrients: endive contains only approx. 17 calories per 100 g and provides many important vitamins and minerals.
- Rich in bitter compounds: the bitter substance intybin can stimulate the appetite and aid digestion.
- Wide variety: there are curly and smooth varieties – the latter taste milder and are less bitter.
- Correct storage: store endive wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.
Endive – list of contents
Endive has the following nutritional values
There's plenty of types of lettuce including Iceberg, butterhead, romaine lettuce or oak leaf lettuce, for example. With its nutritional values, endive is one of the most popular salad greens. It belongs to the genus of chicories, as do its relatives, chicory and radicchio. Chicories – also called blueweed – have one thing in common: their pretty, blue-coloured large flowers. However, lettuce leaves differ greatly from one another. While chicory forms a closed head of lettuce, endive heads are rather broader and more fanned out. However, endive is available with both smooth and curly leaves.
With around 17 calories per 100 grams, endive is one of the lowest-calorie types of lettuce, making it ideal for light meals. It consists mainly of water, but still provides valuable nutrients. Despite its low calorie content, endive is rich in fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and calcium. This makes it a valuable, nutrient-rich base for salads, whether as a side dish or a main course. Their slightly bitter flavour and crisp texture also make them a refreshing alternative to classic leaf lettuces.
The smooth endive, escariol, is less bitter and has only a subtle hint of bitterness. To make the more bitter curly endive more palatable, you can combine it with other lettuces to create a colourful salad mix. In this way, the bitter note does not dominate the flavour, but helps to spice up your salad.
Endive is so healthy
Despite being low in calories, endive is very nutritious and can therefore be extremely healthy. The bitter compounds contained in endive salad, particularly intybin, can stimulate the appetite and aid digestion by promoting bile flow. The high fibre content can contribute to regular bowel function. Endive salad also provides the body with vitamin A, which is important for vision, and vitamin C, which contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system. The folic acid it contains also plays an important role, especially in cell division and blood formation.
To extend the shelf life of endive, it is recommended to store the lettuce wrapped in a damp cloth. In any case, it is advisable to store it in a fridge. While endive salad will keep for around a week in a standard fridge compartment at 7 °C, you can store it in the Liebherr BioFresh Fruit & Vegetable safe for up to 20 days. This freshness compartment has high humidity and temperatures just above 0°C – ideal for vegetables, salads and fruit. With the right storage conditions, you can enjoy your low-calorie endive for even longer.
*All specifications given are to be considered as guideline values, and depend in each case on the type of food and on the proper storage without interruption of the cold chain from harvest/production through to the Liebherr appliance. Should food products have information about minimum shelf life, the date on the packaging always applies.
