Are You Eating Seaweed?

I know what you’re thinking: Yuck! Seaweed doesn’t taste good. But before you rule it out totally, hear me out. First off, sea vegetables (aka seaweeds/edible plants from the ocean) are true superfoods. They contain minerals that aren’t found in many other land-based foods. They are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, and are especially good for their iodine and iron content, making them ideal for vegetarians and vegans. If that’s not convincing enough, they have been linked to weight-loss and obesity prevention, as well as shown to have anti-cancer, blood-pressure regulating, and Alzheimer’s disease preventing effects. Maybe now you’ll give ‘em a try?

My favorites are kombu (aka konbu or kelp), dulse, and nori. Kombu is ideal to add to any kind of soup, stew, or puréed dish like hummus. It has a very mild taste when stewed and doesn’t change the flavor of the dish. I add a piece to every soup and stew I make, and then just blend it into it when it’s done cooking. I also do the same with hummus, since cooking beans and legumes in kombu aids in the digestion and absorption of these foods in the intestines. It’s especially rich in iodine, so we only need a little bit to get the benefits. (And in fact, too much iodine can be a bad thing.)

I like nori because it’s light and delicate, and makes a great medium for wraps, hence its use in sushi rolls. Nori, (as well as dulse) is available in flakes, which I sprinkle on top of all sorts of things, just like salt and pepper. It’s also usually a key ingredient in the traditional Japanese condiment called furikake which you have likely seen sprinkled on top of rice at Japanese restaurants. Incidentally, the high quantity of sea vegetables in the diet of the Japanese is thought to be be at least partially responsible for their longevity and lower cancer mortality rates. If you want to try furikake, look for one without sugar and MSG, which are common in many formulations.
I hope you’ll consider giving them a try. It’s SO easy to sprinkle some nori or dulse flakes on top of your meal!

Thanks for reading!