 |
AMANDA CALLEN
Model, Nutrionist |
|
| Seaweed- The Vegetable of the Sea |
 |
When you think of seaweed, you may think of the brown dredge that washes upon the shore after a big storm, or the green sheets wrapping your sushi roll…
However, there is much more to this ocean treat than meets the eye.
Always considered a delicacy, Asians offered these ‘sea plants’ during ancient sacrifices to their
|
|
ancestors. There are also references in the Chinese Book of Poetry (written over 3000 years ago) to a mystical woman cooking up these plants of the sea.
Nowadays, commonly eaten seaweeds include kombu, nori, arame and wakame.
Seaweeds can contribute vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and phytochemicals to the diet. The micronutrient content can sometimes be difficult to determine because it varies considerably between different varieties of seaweeds, different locations, different seasons and different preparation methods.
The Chinese, often referred to as the ‘masters of good health’, have recorded the following benefits of seaweed:
used as a cleanser to rid the body of toxins
regulation of hormones
increase in metabolism
promotes young looking skin colour
promotes mental well-being |
|
|
There has also been a fair bit of research into the Vitamin B12 content of seaweeds.
Vitamin B12, also called ‘Cobalamin’, plays a key role in brain and nervous system function and is involved in the metabolism of every cell in the body.
But there is good news! There may be some seaweeds that contain available amounts of vitamin B12, but further research is needed before seaweeds can be relied on entirely.
(Limited research shows that Nori shows the most promise as a source of B12)
Instead of sitting around waiting for this research to one day be complete, Jump Onboard the Seaweed Train and head to http://www.oceanvegetables.com/seaweed-recipes.html for some recipes!
Cautions
Due to the conditions of our oceans, seaweeds may be contaminated by heavy metals or pollutants, so choose products from less polluted waters (such as the Bass Strait).
xxx |
|
|
