Seaweeds: add more nutrition to your diet:

More than years, Japanese, Chinese  and   Australians have enjoyed seaweed, better known by its dietary proponents. These plants are actually classified as algae.

 

In history, Native Americans and Scandinavians also incorporated sea vegetables into their diets. Today, sea vegetables are more popular in Japanese restaurants and available in Asian markets as part of a health-conscious diet.

Sea vegetables are the most nutritious foods. They contain large quantities of minerals including iron, calcium and iodine and vitamins like A, C, and many of the B complex vitamins. At the same time, they are low in calories. It is unlikely that anyone could gain weight by eating sea vegetables, and this makes them ideal for those who are trying to maintain a healthy weight or lose excess pounds.

Some sea vegetables, notably the brown ones, will protect our body from radiation, as it contains alginic acid. This polysaccharide, found in kombu, arame, hijiki and some other plant species, binds to radioactive strontium and eliminates it through the bowels. This does not mean that by eating sea vegetables you can endure dangerously high levels of radiation, but it does mean that if you have been exposed to radiation, some of it can be removed through the consumption of dietary sea vegetables.

Some sea vegetables help to lower cholesterol, due to the presence of beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that binds to cholesterol and inhibits its absorption through the intestines. Analysis shows that cholesterol is excreted through feces, instead of contributing to blood levels. For those who wish to maintain or lower cholesterol, sea vegetables may be the best choice.

Another nutritional aspect is the content of thyroxin found in brown varieties. This iodine-containing hormone is also produced in the thyroid gland and functions both to regulate growth and to speed up metabolism. Daily addition of sea vegetables to your diet can help to boost metabolism, enhancing energy and improving weight control.

Commonly eaten sea vegetables include agar, alaria, arame, dulse, hijiki, kelp, kombu, nori and wakame. You can find many of these in natural food stores.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have investigated sea vegetables, a number of which appear to possess anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. Some of this activity is attributed to beta-glucans in these plants. This category of compounds is especially useful for improving immune function among those whose immune systems have been suppressed.

Nutritious, protective, remarkably low in calories and very good tasting, sea vegetables may just find their way into your kitchen and your diet.