Snacking on algae may not sound like the most delicious treat, but it can be! After all, seaweed is just algae anyways! Seaweed comes in many different colors and shapes, and it packs a lot of nutrition into each one. It also has a lot of health benefits. Because of sushi, the Japanese have been eating seaweed for a long time. Seaweed has now been found to be a low-calorie snack in North America.
Heart Health
Seaweed provides omega-3 fatty acids. A sheet of nori seaweed contains the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as two avocados with fewer calories. This fat type helps raise healthy HDL cholesterol levels while lowering harmful LDL cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acids also help reduce inflammation in the body.
High Fiber
The natural fiber found in some types of seaweed, such as kelp, might help digestion and reduce fat absorption. This fiber is called alginate. A recent study found that eating seaweed reduced fat digestion by more than 75 percent. Another benefit of fiber is that it can help you feel full faster and prevent overeating. These findings strongly suggest that adding seaweed to your diet could help you lose weight and lower unhealthy cholesterol levels in the blood.
Helps Your Thyroid
Seaweed, particularly wakame, provides about 164 micrograms of iodine, essential for a healthy thyroid. Healthy thyroid function is necessary for our body to help manage metabolism. The human body does not make iodine, so we must consume it through food. Iodine is also needed for bone health, immune response, and central nervous system development.
Bone Health
Seaweed can help you add calcium to your diet. Calcium is an essential mineral used to keep your bones and teeth strong. Calcium is part of hydroxyapatite, the mineralized tissue that makes up many of your bones. Also, it is used to help your muscles contract, help with cell communication and aid the nervous system and its function. A serving of kelp contains nearly 6 percent of your daily calcium requirement.
Vitamin KΒ
Vitamin K is a platelet communicator. Platelets are the cells that form blood clots. Vitamin K helps send a chemical signal that tells your platelets to come together and form a blood clot so that the body knows to stop the flow of blood from the wound. Kelp contains 29 percent of the daily Vitamin K requirement for women and 22 percent for men.
Be Careful
Seaweed contains iodine, and too much iodine can cause problems with the thyroid. Some seaweed is high in Vitamin K, which may interfere with blood-thinning medications. High potassium levels in seaweed may cause nausea and weakness in patients with kidney problems since their kidneys can no longer remove excess potassium from the body.
