Can a salad make you sleepy? Ancient Romans thought so. When lettuce is cut it oozes a milky sap called lactucarium– known as “lettuce opium” for its mild sedative effects. (Don’t worry, it’s nowhere near real opium in strength.) By the 19th century, pharmacists even bottled it as a cough suppressant. So that post salad drowsiness might not be just in your head. Lettuce’s botanical quirk is why the Romans often served it at the end of feasts to help guests unwind and maybe even catch a good nap afterwards
Growing Home - Can Salad Make You Sleepy?
