A vegetable garden in outer space is not as far-fetched as some might think.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently announced that the astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have harvested and eaten fresh, red romaine lettuce that was grown in space.

The crew of the Expedition 44 made history by being the first to eat space grown vegetables. After they harvested the lettuce, they cleaned them with sanitizing wipes and ate them raw at first. They then tried them with dressing made from olive oil and Italian balsamic vinegar.

According to astronaut, Scott Kelly, the lettuce tasted good, "kinda like arugula."

This is quite a remarkable achievement and a big step forward for mankind, as the red romaine lettuce embodies the first food grown in an environment wholly different from that on Earth.

NASA has admittedly been trying to develop its own space produce for more than a decade but usually for research purposes.

This new experiment, which is officially named Veg-01, but is more known by its nickname Veggie, is aimed at studying how plants grow in a micro-gravity environment and how to improve the methods of growing them. An earlier experiment showed that vegetables grown in space were "as clean, if not cleaner" than what can be found in groceries.

Now, the Veggie experiment is aimed at growing produce for "future long-duration spaceflight."

According to NASA's Tabatha Thompson, the experiment is crucial "not just for life on the space station but also for future deep space missions on our journey to Mars."

Having fresh fruits and vegetables would also be a very welcome and beneficial addition to astronauts living in space as they normally subsist on packaged food. Plus, taking care of plants in space also helps in keeping the astronauts' mental state at a healthy level. Astronauts often go on extended missions and encounter stress and fatigue on a daily basis as they are confined to one small area for long periods of time. Having plants to care for helps the space crew feel more at home and could even be a way for them to enjoy a hobby.

Dr. Ray Wheeler, the lead scientist for the Advanced Life Support activities in NASA's Exploration Research and Technology Programs Office, points out that "fresh foods, such as tomatoes, blueberries and red lettuce are an excellent source of antioxidants." Aside from that, they can also have a "positive impact on people's moods and also could provide some protection against radiation in space."