Introducing Sea Vegetables
Edible sea vegetables are also called macroalgae. They may seem like underwater plants but have fundamentally different structures. They are comparatively simple and lack the much more complex and diverse tissue of plants, like stems, flowers, leaves, and bark.Up to 30,000 varieties of sea vegetables exist around the world, according to scientists—each with a unique look, flavor, growing season, and nutritional value.
Sea vegetables are categorized into three taxonomic groups largely defined by their coloring. Long chains of carbohydrate molecules called polysaccharides determine the difference and give each macroalgae its unique character.
Brown seaweeds have alginates and fucoidans as their main polysaccharides. Those in red seaweeds are called agar and carrageenan, and ulvan is mainly seen in green seaweeds.
The food industry uses some of these sugary compounds as gelling and thickening agents. Others find applications in the pharmaceutical or cosmetic industry as wound healing ingredients or emulsifiers.
Comparing Macroalgae to Microalgae
Certain types of sea vegetables (macroalgae) grow their leaves up to 65 yards. Others are only a few millimeters long, but all are multicellular organisms that grow in marine environments and can be seen with the naked eye.
Microalgae are unicellular, microscopic plants that mostly grow in freshwater. The best-known varieties—spirulina and chlorella—are examples of these well-marketed species, which often come conveniently packaged in capsules for easy dietary supplementation.
Seaweed’s Health Benefits
Sea vegetables can provide alternative sources of iodine, support gut health, positively influence blood sugar levels and cholesterol, and aid the cardiovascular system.Alternative Source of Iodine
“Some people eat sea vegetables to ensure adequate iodine intake from a non-industrial, natural source. Seaweed is high in iodine and seaweed iodine is readily absorbed by humans,” said Steve Eddy, a science advisor with Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Inc., in an email interview with The Epoch Times.
With 7 grams per serving, dried nori still provides a daily value of 98 percent of iodine. Wakame (brown kelp) has a daily value of 75 percent.
The thyroid gland uses iodine as an essential trace element to produce thyroid hormones. In turn, these hormones regulate major functions in our bodies, such as growth, development, and metabolism.
However, consumers should be aware that both iodine deficiency and iodine excess can have health implications.
If people take high doses of iodine over a longer period, iodine toxicity can occur. Symptoms can include a fever, gastrointestinal issues, or skin irritations, as well as cardiovascular and nervous system ailments.
Digestive Health
Unlike the carbohydrates found in land-based plants, those in sea vegetables are largely indigestible but have shown promising antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity effects in lab studies, Eddy said. Sea vegetables may also serve as prebiotics by encouraging a healthy gut microbiota.Indeed, prebiotic properties and dietary fiber both promote digestive health.
Whereas the first nourishes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon, the latter helps regulate stool consistency, support waste elimination, and speed up transit time.
Cardiovascular Health
Edible seaweed is laden with vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting and heart health.Importantly, people taking anticoagulants, particularly those on warfarin (Coumadin), should speak with their physician before eating iodine-rich foods like seaweed.
Cooking with Seaweed
Seraphina Erhart, general manager of Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Inc., enjoys experimenting with seaweed in the kitchen, whether it’s a warming pot of adzuki beans with Alaria seaweed on cold days or a dulse and avocado grilled cheese or mock tuna salad in the summer.
Adding edible seaweed to one’s diet can be as easy as buying a dried variety at the store and adding it to your cooking. For example, dried kelp flakes fit well into a green smoothie, or dried dulse powder can be used as a salt substitute in stews, salads, or other dishes.
Erhart understands that trying something new can be daunting, so she encourages people to ease into cooking with seaweed by adding it to familiar dishes—treating it like an herb, flavor enhancer, or salt substitute.
Smoked Dulse Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Recipe
- 2 slices of your favorite grilled cheese bread, we like a good multigrain or sourdough
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- Cheese to taste - we like a sharp cheese to contrast the flavors, but you may use your favorite cheese filling of choice
- Several slices of avocadoes
- Applewood smoked dulse (or regular dulse) - pull a few fronds apart to be a single layer and ensure that no tiny shells are hidden
- Butter one side of each slice of bread, then flip the bread over onto a cutting board or some other cleanable surface so that the buttered side is facedown.
- On one slice, lay the cheese evenly across the surface of the bread and then place the dulse on top of the cheese in a thin layer.
- On the second slice of bread, lay or spread the avocado slices evenly across the bread.
- Stack as a sandwich and pan-fry at low temperature for the most melt factor.
- The dulse will soften between the two fats, and it will be easy to eat. Enjoy!
Potential Risks of Eating Seaweed
Some species of seaweed are tainted through environmental factors, such as petroleum residues, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, or radioactivity.Buy seaweed from reliable sources that employ quality control measures—such as testing for heavy metals—to ensure a product is as safe to consumers as it has been for centuries.
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