Is it better to tear lettuce leaves or cut them?
Most salad lovers will tell you that a torn leaf lasts longer, while a cut lettuce leaf turns brown faster.
The rationale behind this is that, when torn, the leaf breaks along the natural boundaries between cells, whereas a knife cuts right through cells causing more damage and quicker browning.
Despite this theory, however, there appears to be no real difference in browning between a cut leaf and a torn one. So, whether salad greens are cut or torn are of personal preference.