Some common types of salad leaves are listed below:

Cos (romaine) lettuce: This lettuce has dark green leaves. They are rich in potassium and also contain carotenoids. They are the perfect base for Caesar salads.

Chicory: This is a pale, long salad leaf vegetable. It is rich in vitamin B. It has a slightly bitter taste but the leaves are crispy and add a good texture to the salad.

Frisee endive: Curly, green leaves with a bitter taste. Inner leaves are milder in flavour. Also known as curly endive, frisee is a form of chicory, and belongs to the Compositae or daisy family.

Lollo rosso: These are green leaves with a red colour at the tip. It contains the antioxidant quercetin, which is believed to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Iceberg lettuce: A round and compact shape with pale green leaves and not much taste. It stays fresh longer than any other type of lettuce, if kept at a constant cool temperature. Iceberg is a good source of folate, which is important for pregnant women.

Lamb's lettuce: Small leaves, similar to watercress in appearance. Fresh leaves are sweeter in taste.

Radicchio: This is a red type of chicory that looks like a small cabbage in shape. It is very bitter in flavour and should be mixed with other leaves.

Rocket: Small, elongated, feathery leaves with a peppery taste - delicious with Parmesan. It also contains compounds called Glucosinolates which are believed to have a possible protective role against certain types of cancers.

Spinach: Raw spinach can be added to salads. The fresh, leafy taste is especially delicious with egg, tomato and lentil dishes. They have a delicate taste but are very rich in iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins A, B, C and K.