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Can’t sleep throughout the night? Munch on this delicious, salty snack that is rich in tryptophan that helps you sleep properly during the night. Yes, it’s the seaweed that we are talking about.
Seaweed has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Most of nutritionists will recommend you to eat seaweed regularly as well. The benefits of seaweed are unimaginable. No one can think how algae can benefit you so much. Most of your health problems can get ease just by eating seaweed. All can get better from a genetic disease to your gut problem by including seaweed in your regular diet. Seaweed is being eaten for a long time now, and much research has been conducted. All these researches have shown that seaweed can benefit you immensely. So now, almost every recipe and dish include seaweed.
Are you still wondering what seaweed is? Don’t worry, we will tell you about it. Let’s start with what seaweed actually is?
What Is Seaweed?
Seaweed is a species of marine plant that grows in the ocean. It is visible to the naked eye and can be found near the seabed. It can also be grown in rivers and lakes.
You can find countless species of seaweed in any body of water. Seaweed looks like a plant, but it actually is algae. As plants have roots, seaweed doesn’t and can be extracted easily.
Seaweed nowadays is widely used in almost every food item and confectionery. Moreover, due to its several health benefits, seaweed is now consumed by nearly every person. This had boosted the growth and farming throughout the world.
Now you can find packs of seaweed at any nearby store. In addition, many restaurants use seaweed in their recipes as well.
Benefits Of Eating Seaweed
After seafood, seaweed is the most eaten thing grown in water. Seaweed provides rich taste so many health benefits that you will want to go buy some right away. This will help you understand each benefit thoroughly.
If you have any medical problem, we are sure seaweed will help you ease it down. Mentioned below are the benefits of eating seaweed. Make sure you read them as thoroughly as we have researched them for you. Below we have 11 ways eating seaweed can benefit you:
1. Source Of Iodine
The iodine content in seaweed is very important for your body. The thyroid is your body depends on enough iodine to function properly. The thyroid gland releases hormones to control energy production, growth, and repair of damaged cells.
Seaweed contains the concentrated iodine from the ocean and is very healthy for you to eat. However, different species of seaweed contains different amount of iodine in them.
Not just iodine but an essential acid tyrosine that is present in seaweed is one of the best forms to consume it. Tyrosine, alongside iodine helps the two important hormones in your body to properly function the thyroid gland.
2. Rich In Nutrients and Vitamins
Your doctor has advised you to increase your intake of vitamins and nutrients. Don’t get confused with different types of vitamins to take. All your work can be made easy by adding seaweed to your diet.
Seaweed contains small amounts of different vitamins. Most of them are vitamin A, C, E, and K. Not just that, seaweed also contains a sufficient amount of zinc, sodium, magnesium, and calcium. So adding seaweed to your food improves the taste and boosts your intake of essential nutrients and vitamins.
Seaweed is also a great source of vitamin B12 and omega-3, some of the nutrients you highly need in your system. Seaweed will make it easy for you to have your nutrients and vitamins without any hassle. The content of all these vitamins and nutrients in seaweed is sufficient for you to take.
3. Source of Protein
Seaweed is also known as one of the best sources of protein. The proteins such as chlorella and spirulina contain all the amino acids your body needs. Eating seaweed can ensure you that.
As you know, amino acids are the most essential elements that help build protein in your system. That protein then works in many ways to keep your body functioning correctly and smoothly. The protein also supports the growth of muscles, transports nutrients and prevents illness, and binds cells together.
4. Improves Gut Health
As you know, it is estimated that your body has more bacteria cells than human cells. There two types of bacteria found in your gut, good and bad, both have their own roles in your systems. However, an imbalance of bad gut bacteria over good can cause severe diseases and sickness.
Seaweed is a fantastic source of fiber, which can contribute to a healthier gut. The fiber content on seaweed is found higher than any fruit or vegetable. Eating seaweed in any form will ensure you get all the necessary amount of fiber in your system.
Not only that, the fiber taken by seaweed can resist digestion and be a source of food for bacteria in your large intestine. The sugars found in seaweed also increase the growth of good bacteria in your gut. It also helps increase the production of short-chain fatty acids, which supports and nourish the cells lining your stomach.
5. Reduces The Diabetes Effect
If you or anyone in your family have diabetes, eating seaweed can show miraculous effects. Eating seaweed has proven as one of the best remedy. The high fiber content on the seaweed can help regulate the sugar level in your system.
Elements in seaweed also reduce the other diabetic factors, including insulin sensitivity, high-fat levels, or inflammation. There is also evidence present of research done that eating seaweed can help reduce markers of type 2 diabetes.
A substance called alginate found in seaweed also prevents sugar spikes in your blood. It also reduces the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Thus controlling sugar levels and saving you from severe diabetic problems.
6. Helps You Lose Weight
This is one of the most popular benefits of eating seaweed regularly. The fiber in seaweed can help you lose weight as well. Seaweed is low in calories and yet makes you feel full.
If you opt for a seaweed diet, that can also work wonders. The seaweed will provide you with pure and essential nutrients and keep your energy up all day long. The fiber content found in seaweed slow stomach emptying too.
Seaweed is one of the best food items to have anti-obesity activity of the marine carotenoid fucoxanthin. The fucoxanthin found in seaweed helps you lose weight and trims your body. All this contributes to increased metabolism as well.
7. Healthy Heart
This is one of the benefits you can get from eating seaweed if you have high cholesterol problems. The high fiber algae help reduce cholesterol levels around your heart. Eating seaweed regularly can help you reduce your cholesterol level up to 15%.
Seaweed also contributes to a healthier heart by preventing blood clots. A carbohydrate called fucans which help prevent blood clotting is found in seaweed. Seaweed works as effectively as an anti-clotting drug and has amazed many researchers as well.
Seaweed also helps to control your blood pressure. Nowadays, blood pressure is one of the widely common problems found in everyone. There are many drugs available to handle the situation. However, seaweed is one of the best natural methods to control and stabilize your blood pressure.
8. Strong Immune System
Since the pandemic has hit, many people have tried new things to boost their immune systems. Try seaweed, and it will surely help you. A strong immune system enables you to fight viruses and prevents them from badly affecting your system.
A strong immune system is vital for everyone. Seaweed contains high contents of fiber and other essential elements, which contribute to strengthen your immune system. Thus, making you strong and prepared if you catch any virus that can threaten your health.
9. Provide Protective Antioxidants
Antioxidants play a very critical role in your system. It makes unstable substances in your body less reactive. These unstable substances are mainly called free radicals and can cause severe reactions in your body.
If your body produces free radicals excessively, that can cause severe diseases and illness. Common problems caused by excess free radicals are diabetes and heart diseases. If not contained on time, these unstable substances can be the root of many other dangerous conditions.
Seaweed is high in antioxidants which protects your system and cells from free radical damage. The common antioxidants found in seaweed that helps you from damage are vitamin A, C, E.
10. Relaxes Your Brain
Seaweed is known as one of the best snacks to have before sleeping. Not only do you get all the needed nutrients and vitamins, but it relaxes your body and brain. Thus giving you a relaxing and peaceful sleep all night.
Seaweed helps you calm your mind down as well. While you sleep, all seaweed can do its work in your gut and serve its purpose there as well. Make sure that you don’t overeat seaweed before sleeping the elements can overwork your body throughout the night.
11. Reduces Risk Of Cancer
Contributing to many other health benefits, this is one of the best benefits you can get by eating seaweed regularly. Eating seaweed regularly can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
Eating seaweed reduces the estrogen level in your body. This results in reducing the risk of breast of breast cancer. As you know, breast cancer is a widely found cancer nowadays.
It is better to try everything you can so this deadly disease can never get near you. However, seaweed has shown excellent results in easing other health problems.
Why Did Seaweed Become So Popular?
In the early century, seaweed was only used in Japanese cuisine, especially sushi. However, it started gaining popularity when people were amazed at how a thin-looking seaweed can contain many health benefits. As a result, people now just love to munch on the tasty seaweed.
After almost everyone knew the countless benefits of eating seaweed, seaweed farming has grown. People now even farm seaweed in fresh water to keep up with the demand of it. This green algae has changed the whole food industry.
Knowing that seaweed comes from the ocean, it might be obvious it would be salty. Unfortunately, that’s where you are wrong. Seaweed has a strong but sweet flavor. Some seaweeds are available in salty flavor as well, but it depends on how you cook it.
The texture can be smooth. However, you will get a crunchy and crispy texture if you get dried seaweed.
Dishes To Use Seaweed In
The best thing about seaweed is that you can eat it alongside any dish you like. It doesn’t matter what continents dish it is. From pasta to Thai curry, you will love seaweed with any dish you want.
However, there are some dishes you should definitely try seaweed with. Here are some, make sure you try seaweed with them.
- Crispy udon noodles
- Hand rolls with kale and green beans
- Asian bar mix
- Japanese Frites
- Seaweed crusted sirloin steak
- Seaweed and cucumber salad
- Chicken Yakitori
These are just some of the dishes we had in mind, but seaweed goes with every recipe you want to try. It provides you with better taste and offers you various health benefits, making your meal healthy.
Final Words
Seaweed is one of the widely eaten marine algae. The benefits of eating seaweed have shocked many people and scientists worldwide. That is why now it’s used in every home.
We hope this article has helped you learn a lot about the benefits seaweed can offer you. If you think seaweed can improve any of your medical conditions mentioned above, do try eating it. It will save your time, money, and effort you would be spending on medical treatment.
However, medical treatment is advisable if the problem is severe. Seaweed is just a way to ease your problem, not solve them.