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Nearly everyone's mental image of a "plant-based diet" includes some sort of fashionable meat substitute, kale salad, grain bowl, or similar dish. One meatless alternative, though, is seaweed, which is quickly becoming known as the newest superfood.
Seaweed benefits you should know about!
Seaweed, those brownish-green strands and clumps of marine plant life that end up on beaches, is actually delicious. While nori—the delicate sheets used to wrap sushi and decorate ramen bowls—may be the most famous and beloved seaweed, there are literally hundreds of colourful kinds of these huge, leafy algae, such as wakame, kombu, sugar kelp, red dulse, and more. Seaweed not only cleans the water around it, but it also helps support other marine creatures. Once it's out of the water, it can enrich our diets with more nutrients and minerals.
Advantages of seaweed—for both humans and the planet
Seaweed provides all the essential nutrients that humans require in one convenient package because it is rich in minerals and dietary fibre. A recent study found that seaweed includes ten times more minerals than land-based plants, as well as a number of vitamins (B, C, E, and K), omega-3 fatty acids, protein, amino acids, polyphenols, and more. The nutritional profiles of green, brown, and red seaweed do differ slightly, but overall, seaweed is packed with nutrients. Iodine, calcium, and iron are among these necessary minerals.
A sustainable addition to your diet
Seaweed, when applied as a fertilizer to land-based crops, replenishes the soil with these vital nutrients. Seaweed has health benefits for humans and is also good for water systems. While "carbon capture" is currently gaining popularity, seaweed has been actively capturing carbon dioxide for quite some time. The carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere is absorbed by seaweed, which then converts it into carbohydrates, according to Camire. We don't know if seaweed farming may significantly impact climate change, but it's a step in the right direction.
One way seaweed contributes to regenerative aquaculture is by absorbing nitrogen and phosphorus, which, in excess, can deplete marine ecosystems. The best part is that seaweed, whether cultivated or gathered in its natural state, doesn't need any kind of fertiliser or pesticides to thrive in the water.
Health benefits of seaweed
Seaweed is a very nutritious marine plant, and it offers numerous health benefits because of its high water, carbohydrate, and protein levels and unique bioactive compounds.
- Ensures healthy thyroid function: Your thyroid gland needs sources of iodine to produce hormones that control growth, energy production, and cell repair. Seaweed is one of the best dietary sources of iodine, an essential mineral. Having seaweed in your diet helps maintain proper thyroid function and prevents iodine deficiency.
- Helps regulate blood sugar levels: There are some compounds present in seaweed, for example, fucoxanthin and alginate fibre, that stabilise blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. This could help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream after a meal.
- Rich source of vitamins and minerals: Packed with a huge supply of nutrients, seaweed consists of vitamins A, C, E and K as well as B vitamins (including B12). It is also rich in beneficial minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and folate, making it more nutrient-based than many vegetables.
- Promotes gut health and digestion: Seaweed has quite a high fibre content, including soluble fibre and polysaccharides (large, complex carbohydrates) such as agars, and acts as a prebiotic, which means that it promotes the growth of beneficial intestinal microorganisms. This indigestible fibre feeds the important bacteria in your gut, supporting a healthy gut, promoting regular bowel movements, and enhancing overall digestive health.
- Aids in weight management: Seaweed assists with weight loss due to its high fibre content and its low-calorie count. The fibre helps you feel fuller for longer by slowing stomach emptying, which can reduce overall calorie intake. Fucoxanthin and alginate, which are some compounds present in brown seaweed, help in reducing body fat and preventing fat absorption.
- Reduces heart disease risk: Daily consumption of seaweed may help lower your risk of heart disease. Soluble fibres help in reducing total and LDL cholesterol levels, while peptides which are protein-like structures, help in blocking pathways that increase blood pressure.
- Benefits pregnant women: Seaweed is a very good source of iodine. Pregnant women need this mineral as it helps in the brain development of the fetus.
Need a recipe to add this to your daily diet? Try out our take on a Korean classic!
