Why You Should Add Sea Vegetables To Your Diet

If you’ve added more vegetables to your diet, chances are you already know about eating the rainbow. You have probably already added common vegetables like carrots, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, dark leafy greens, eggplant, and others to your diet. Believe it or not, there may be one great vegetable category you’re missing — sea vegetables.

Health Benefits of Sea Vegetables

A nutrient dense vegetable category, sea vegetables are commonly referred to as seaweed, which is an edible form of marine algae. These sea vegetables have been an important part of coastal diets for over 10,000 years. In addition to being high in fiber, seaweeds are beneficial for health in many different ways. They contain an abundance of minerals, amino acids and proteins, fatty acids, and vitamins. Plus, sea vegetables contain much higher levels of minerals and nutrients than land vegetables. 

Not only are sea vegetables nutrient dense, the nutrients in seaweed are bioavailable, meaning they’re easier for the body to digest and use. When it comes to functional foods, how easily your body can process and make use of the nutritional components is key. Regular consumption of seaweed, as well as supplementation with seaweed, is one functional food option that offers a wide range of health benefits.

Peptides

One reason seaweed has so many potential health benefits is because it contains high levels of peptides — short chains of amino acids (the building blocks for proteins) that are easier to digest than proteins and may be anti-inflammatory and nourishing for the body. The peptides in seaweed have many beneficial health impacts, ranging from lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, to fighting infection and inflammation, to improving mineral absorption and immune function. 

Microbial Metabolites

Because seaweed also contains so many vitamins and minerals that are essential to good health, adding them to the diet is a functional way to help prevent deficiencies. Other compounds, including microbial metabolites - which are present in seaweeds - may be more effective than their manufactured chemical counterparts for curing disease. The health benefits of seaweed extend to improving gut health and preventing weight gain. Research on using seaweed supplementation for health treatments shows that the different compounds naturally present in sea vegetables may help prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes, manage weight, and even improve mental health.

Chlorophylls

Seaweeds come in red, brown, and green, which is determined by the pigments present in the vegetables. Chlorophylls are the main pigments in all seaweeds, with other pigments present in each color variation. Chlorophyll has long been used as a health supplement to treat skin conditions, body odor, and wound healing. Eating seaweed regularly may improve skin and healing because of their high chlorophyll content.

Seaweeds are an excellent natural source of vital nutrients. Their high levels of beneficial bioactive compounds make them a great choice for supplementation and functional diets. Seaweeds come in a variety of forms, and there are many different ways to incorporate these nutrient-rich vegetables into your diet.

Which Seaweeds Should You Eat?

 Some reasons seaweeds are a good food source are that they grow quickly, contain a variety of proteins and amino acids, and provide many other bioactive compounds. There are dozens of different kinds of edible seaweeds, which fall into three categories: red, brown, and green. Below are a few of the most common ones. While some, such as pulse and nori, tend to be available at traditional grocery stores, for others you may need to go to ethnic markets or order online.

Arame

Arame is a brown seaweed (a specific type of kelp) widely used in Japanese cooking. It is usually sold dried, which means it is available all year. This is a good mild flavored semi-sweet sea vegetable that is great for adding to almost any dish. It can be eaten as a side with meat or fish, or added to soups and salads.

Dulse

Dulse is a red algae that is well-known as a snack food. Dulse contains all the trace elements that we need to survive, making it an excellent source of protein for vegetarians or vegans. Fresh dulse is more likely to be available in the northern regions where it grows on the coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Dried dulse is even more widely available than fresh, and is often used as a snack or as flakes or powder to enhance food. Easy ways to add dulse to your diet include sprinkling flakes on pretty much any food, or putting a few strips in a sandwich or wrap to increase the nutrient content and flavor.

Wakame

Wakame is a species of kelp (a brown seaweed) with a subtly sweet flavor and smooth, sturdy texture. It grows in the Pacific Ocean and has been widely used in Japan and other East Asian countries for centuries. Wakame is mostly used in soup and salad, such as in miso soup. Dried wakame is great for adding to soups, and it’s best to cut or break it into very small pieces first because they expand when they rehydrate. Wakame gets its name from the Japanese name for this sea vegetable, and in English it may also be called “sea mustard.”

Nori

Nori is a dried seaweed made from red algae. If you’ve had sushi rolls, this is the thin sheet used to wrap the outside of the roll. These dried sheets of seaweed are widely available at grocery stores, and are also sold in mini packs as a snack food. Nori is meant to be kept dry and is best stored in an airtight package. Lightly toasting the nori gives it a particularly good flavor.

Kelp

Kelp is a brown algae that grows rapidly and forms tall stems with flat leaf-like blades. If you’ve watched nature shows with underwater scenes from the Pacific Ocean, you may have seen the underwater forests of kelp swaying in the water. Kombu includes several species of kelp, and is widely used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cooking for broths, stews, and other savory dishes. Kelp is especially healthy and has both a high iodine and iron content. 

Health Note: Iodine is an important nutrient for preventing goiter (thyroid enlargement). However, overconsumption may be toxic to the thyroid, and those with thyroid issues should be particularly careful about iodine intake.

Spirulina

Spirulina, while not specifically a seaweed, is related because it is an algae. This blue-green algae is sold as a dried powder, and typically used as a supplement or green shake ingredient. Spirulina is packed with nutrients, and was at one time used as a food source by Mesoamericans who harvested it from lakes. Today, it is often considered a superfood and is available in many health food stores. It has even been considered as a possible food source for long-term space flight.Adding spirulina to green smoothies is the easiest way to add this algae into your diet.

Health Note: Spirulina may have adverse reactions when taken with prescription drugs, especially medications that affect the immune system or blood clotting. 

How to Add Sea Vegetables to Your Diet

Now that you know why you should be eating more sea vegetables, you may be wondering what is the best way to add them to your diet. Here are a few easy tips to make the most of these delicious, nutrient dense sea vegetables:

• Add a delicious, umami flavor to soups or bone broths with dried seaweeds
• Add strips or flakes to a rice or quinoa bowl
• Use as a roll-up - a super tasty way to replace bread on avocado wraps
• Make a seaweed salad with a dressing (you’ll need to rehydrate the seaweed first)
• Cook a side of rehydrated (or fresh cooked) seaweed
• Dry seaweeds snacks are a fabulous way to add sea vegetables (pre-made or DIY)
• Add seaweed to fermented sauerkraut for a delicious and nourishing boost
• Sprinkle seaweed flakes on soups or salads

Sources