Seaweed - A Delicacy and Medicine

We should include seaweed in our diet especially for its mineral and vitamin content, which ranks it among the most nutritious foods available.

Most significant is the high iodine content, which is important for our metabolism and proper thyroid function. However, the list of important substances doesn't end there - seaweed is also a source of fiber, magnesium, vitamin B, zinc, chlorophyll, calcium, sodium and many others.

We should eat seaweed regularly, but in small amounts!

Thanks to the content of these substances, seaweed has anti-inflammatory effects, supports cancer prevention, has antibacterial effects and works against viruses and fungi. It also has effects on allergies, asthma, arthritis, arthrosis and is an excellent antioxidant.

Some types of seaweed

• Agar

It is used as a gelling agent in puddings, aspics and similar dishes. Due to its beneficial effects on our body, it is more suitable to use instead of classic gelatin.

Agar can be purchased in the form of powders, sticks, strips or flakes. It is a purely natural substance without excessive calorie content.

Agar contains a large amount of iodine, calcium and iron, and also contains magnesium and fiber, for example. It helps with constipation, supports liver and lung function, reduces weight, helps lower blood cholesterol and has anti-inflammatory effects.

• Arame

This seaweed has a brown color, which turns black when dried. Mannitol, which is contained in this plant, is responsible for its sweet taste.

Mannitol is a carbohydrate that can also be consumed by diabetics.

Arame also contains predominantly iodine, calcium and iron. Regular consumption of this seaweed will help you with vascular and heart diseases, as it can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

The Japanese commonly use Arame to treat gynecological problems and to lower blood pressure.

If you want to try seaweed in the kitchen, Arame is suitable to use because it doesn't smell fishy and doesn't have a strong taste. Since it supports digestion, it goes well with legumes or grains, for example. You can add it to soup (but don't cook it for more than 10 minutes) or to salads, to which it will add an interesting flavor.

If you want to use this plant as a spice, dry it in the oven.

• Dulse

Another "miracle" are sea algae called Dulse, which have thin fan-shaped leaves. They contain substances such as magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, iron, manganese and calcium. They are excellent for strengthening blood vessels, for example.

Thanks to its softness, you can consume it directly, but if you mind the salty taste, use it in salads as a salt substitute.

It is also available in flake form, and you can enrich soups, vegetable or meat mixtures, spreads or sauces with its taste.

• Kombu (Kelp)

In China, thanks to its high iodine content, it has been used for centuries as a medicine for thyroid problems. It helps cleanse the intestines and detoxify the body from waste products, thanks to its content of alginic acid, which is indigestible.

Kombu also helps with thinking, provides vitality and lowers blood pressure.

The use of this plant in the kitchen is quite wide - dried, we can add it to salads, soups, or for flavouring sauces and meat. When cooked, it is good to consume it when it is completely soft, which takes a little longer than other algae (approximately 1 hour).

• Nori

This is the most well-known sea algae, which ranks among the richest sources of protein. As for vitamins, we can find in Nori, for example, vitamin A, B and C. It supports brain function and digestion, helps lower cholesterol and heal wounds.

A sheet of Nori can also be used instead of a plaster on a bleeding wound - heat it over a flame, moisten it and leave it on until it falls off by itself.

Here, this algae can be bought in the form of flakes, which just need to be added to a cooked dish. In Asia, it is first toasted over a flame, during which we can watch its colour change. And then it is most often served with dishes that are cooked in oil. If you want to make your work easier, there is already toasted sushi-nori available, which you can use directly for sushi rolls, for example.

• Hijiki

In Japan, it is a traditional ingredient in soups or sauces and is generally one of the most popular sea algae.

You can use cooked Hijiki in vegetable mixtures, soups, spreads or with meat.

It is an excellent source of iron and calcium, and also contains equally important iodine, magnesium, sodium, fibre, zinc, proteins and vitamins.

• Wakame

It is very similar to Kombu sea algae, has a mild aroma, which makes it a very suitable ingredient in vegetable soups and salads. It contains a significant amount of protein, calcium, iodine, fibre, magnesium, iron, vitamin B and zinc.

We can also use it again in sauces, spreads, cereals or legumes.

This seaweed helps us strengthen the spine, liver and gallbladder, it also regulates blood pressure and purifies the blood. Thanks to its strengthening effects, it has been given for generations in Japan, mainly to women after childbirth, for faster recovery.

Have you tried any recipe with seaweed? Share it with us in your comment.

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