What is seaweed good for?
Seaweed is a general term for a variety of algae found in the ocean. Sometimes called “sea vegetables,” some seaweed varieties have been used medicinally and nutritionally (for food) for centuries. Seaweeds rely on photosynthesis like land plants, but do not have the same structures. Red, Green, and Brown Algae are the most common seen used in medicines and cuisine.
Most notably in cuisine is the use of seaweed in Japanese foods such as sushi, onigiri (rice ball), and soups. Nori is most common with sushi and rice ball dishes. Sometimes referred to as laver, nori is shredded and dried and made into a fine paper-like substance sold in sheets. These sheets absorb moisture from the rice when wrapped with sushi or rice balls and provides a delicate ocean flavor as well as a convenient “handle” for eating the foods.
Kelp is much bulkier than nori and is often purchased dried with a white substance on the surface. This substance is harmless and simply wiped off before use. Kelp is soaked and boiled in water to make dashi, the stock used in almost all Japanese soups.
Other types of seaweeds known as hijiki and wakame are eaten as vegetables, typically in side dishes with Japanese cuisine. The sight and texture can be a turn off for many Westerners but for the brave individual willing to try it, seaweeds can make a pleasant and nutritious addition to cooking and meals.
Agar, known as kanten in Japanese, is produced from red algae and has uses in both cuisine, science labs, and dieting. In labs, particularly those dealing with genetics and biology experiments, a substance known as agarose gel is used for certain research gathering when separating DNA, RNA, or proteins, and PCR (polymerase chain reaction). This is made from agar and is valued for its unique property to form a solid gel at room temperature, unlike gelatin. Additionally, unlike gelatin, agar is a vegetarian food and can be used to make gelatin-like desserts and sweets popular in Asian cultures. In recent years, noodles made from agar have become a popular diet food in Japan. Eaten before meals, the fiber in agar helps fill one up with very few calories which assists in decreased food consumption and overall weight loss.
Seaweeds are also used medicinally. A natural source of iodine, seaweeds can help regulate thyroid function, but an excessive amount of seaweed eaten can result in toxic levels of iodine in the body. Recent research on the benefits of seaweed to weight loss have prompted the development of several diet pills and supplements containing seaweed and extracts, among other research for possible cures for illnesses such as tuberculosis, arthritis, cancers, viruses, and more. Some species of seaweeds were used traditionally to dress wounds as well, containing properties to form a gum-like substance when mixed with water which has also been used for waterproofing and fireproofing fabrics. This substance is known as alginate. Types of seaweed are also being researched for possible benefits in HIV.
Seaweeds are rich in calcium, though not as high as dairy products. Protein contents vary from type to type, ranging from about 5% protein in brown algae up to over 70% in a species known as spirulina, a microscopic blue-green algae. Other vitamins found in seaweed varieties are B vitamins (varied), vitamin C, A, D, and E. The vitamins found, and amounts, vary from species to species. Seaweeds are also valued for their mineral contents, which also vary from species to species.
Seaweed use is not limited to East Asian cultures. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, varieties of seaweed have also been used for centuries, as well as other cultures around the world that have close ties with the ocean. They are also used in some fertilizers for their mineral properties.
