Sure, you’ve eaten those bits of seaweed in yourmiso soup, or wrapped around your sushi roll.
And they are bursting with nutrients, some of which you just can’t get from land vegetables.
But where do you start when it comes to this variety of veggies?
Can you get them in your grocery store, or is there a sea vegetables supplement?
What are sea vegetables?
Surprisingly, these organisms aren’t plants, even though they resemble them.
They have no root system because they’re able to absorb nutrients and water directly into their tissues.
Seaweed can be further classified as green, red, or brown.
Non-seaweed veggies include single-cell algae likespirulinaandchlorella.
Or you may be able to find fresh varieties at your health food stores and Asian markets.
Either way, you’ll reap all the nutrients and benefits.
The many available varieties come with different nutrition profiles and uses.
The red algaenorimight be the most familiar because it’s typically used as sushi wrap or garnish.
it’s possible for you to find it raw, pickled, dried, powdered, and encapsulated.
Chefs are becoming more adventurous by incorporating these veggies into everything from soup to ice cream.
Kelp
There are nearly30 varietiesof this large brown algae, known colloquially as “seaweed.”
There’s evenkelp jerky!
Get creative with it!
The list goes on and on.
Originally used by the Aztecs, it was resurrected byNASA to feed astronauts1in space.
Phycocyanin is the main active component that contributes to the algae’santioxidant2properties.
But you probably won’t find dulse raw.
Usually sold in dry form, it can be rehydrated by soaking it in water for a few minutes.
This also helps remove some of the excess salt.
Then toss it into your favorite salad and let the nutrients course through you.
Chlorella
Thisfreshwater algaeis another powerhouse food.
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Kombu
When it’s cold and dreary outside,break out the kombuand the stockpot.
This seaweed is used in dashi, a traditional Japanese stock.
Use kombu alone or with dried bonito flakes for miso soup or as aseasoning liquid in other dishes.
Better yet, combine with beans or other hard-to-digest vegetables like Brussels sprouts or cabbage.
Kombo has enzymes that break down gas-producing raffinose sugars found in many legumes and vegetables.
They are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and fatty acids.
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They support detoxification.
Heavy metals accumulate in our bodies and can leave us feeling run down and awful all around.
But algae such asspirulinaandchlorella5help support the body’sdetoxificationprocess.
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They are a good source of iodine.
It can cause complications during pregnancy, affect brain and bone development, and even cause pregnancy loss.
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They have beneficial antioxidants.
Sea veggies are chock-full of antioxidants and are the subject ofnumerous studies10for theirhealth benefits11.
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They support a healthy gut microbiome.
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Seaweed gives your gut some love.
- It might even protect againstH.
*Fiberalso helps you stay full longer to keep hunger and mindless snacking in check.
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They’re a good source of vitamins and minerals.
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In case you weren’t paying attention, sea veggies are brimming withvitamins and minerals.
In fact,seaweedis higher in minerals like copper and iron than meat or spinach!
Eight grams of dried dulse has quadruple the amount of iron as 100 grams of sirloin steak.
“Try a bunch out and see what you like,” advises Cording.
Sea vegetables are naturally absorbent, so they canpick up contaminants and heavy metals15from their surroundings.
Organic sea vegetablesare grown in controlled aquacultures or wild harvested in protected waters to ensure quality and purity.
“Buy the best quality possible,“Frank Lipman, M.D., functional medicine pioneer, advises.
- So, whenever you could, opt for organic.
How many servings of sea vegetables should you eat?
However, algae supplementation and seaweed salads might not be for everyone.
Individuals who havethyroid issuesshould be especially careful.
- For an easy-to-take form try supplementing with the powdered variety (hereare our favorites!)
