13 of the Planet's Healthiest Seaweeds and Sea Vegetables
 Think seaweed is only for the beach? Think again! Sea vegetables are low-calorie, detoxifying foods that are naturally salty, immensely satisfying and packed with health benefits for your thyroid and whole body. With so many varieties, you'll want to eat them daily for maximum health benefits.
|
If the only seaweed you’ve ever eaten is the nori wrapped around a sushi roll, then you’ll be excited to discover an abundant variety of sea vegetables!
These mineral-rich sea plants are a staple of Japanese diets and should be part of yours, too. They’re versatile and taste delicious, but it’s their vast health benefits that make them an important element of Body Ecology.
Sea vegetables have the following benefits:
To learn more about the benefits of sea vegetables, read: 8 Healthy Seaweeds Worth Knowing and Trying.
Here are some well-known healthy sea vegetables worth incorporating into your diet:
- Arame – This mild, almost sweet brown kelp is a great place to begin if you’re unaccustomed to eating sea veggies. It's usually found in finely shredded strands that have a crispy texture. Soak a small handful in water until soft, add to your favorite salad then toss on your favorite salad dressing. Viola…,your salad just become even more nutritious.
- Nori – You’ll recognize nori as a common sushi wrapper. These “seaweed sheets” works great as wraps and taste delicious when toasted. you cal also purchase Nori already toasted. In Japan Nori is often cut into strips and then used to pick up food...like rice...but we would choose quinoa or millet on the Body Ecology Diet. It’s the fun and healthier way to eat with your hands.
- Kombu – Popular ingredient in miso soup and other Japanese dishes. just put a small strip in water and simmer for 45 minutes or longer on low heat. Now you have a wonderful mineral-rich broth. Now, simple cook veggies, soups. or your grain-like seeds in this broth. A great anti-aging tip.
- Wakame – Closely related to kombu, this variety was found to have fat burning properties that could fight obesity, according to research from Japan.
- Hijiki – Makes a great natural beauty aid. This very black sea veggies scares some people who are not used to black foods but please don’t back away from this nutritional powerhouse. It needs more cooking than arame.
- Dulse – We love this as a snack because it’s packed with protein and iron.
- Agar – Agar is wonderful for creating delicious sugar-free desserts. It is a vegetarian alternative to gelatin. It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes and has mild laxative properties...so can be helpful for those who suffer from constipation.
- Kelp – A brown algae, kelp grows in nutrient-rich ocean water and is packed with vitamins, minerals and iodine. Kelp is thought to be especially useful for prostate, pancreas and digestive health. If you have a thyroid disorder like hypo-thyroid, hashimoto’s ( an autoimmune issue) and even hyperthyroid kelp is frequently recommended. Your thyroid needs minerals (like the ones found in ocean veggies) and certain fats to work well.
Here are some other incredible, yet little-known sea vegetable options:
No time to make sea veggies? Don’t like the taste? You can still get all the benefits! For a real, whole food source of the ocean’s miracle cleanser, Laminaria japonica, try Ocean Plant Extract. Ocean Plant Extract contains some of the purest nutrients to help you achieve your health goals. Whether you want to boost your metabolism, balance your thyroid, improve your elimination, increase your energy, detoxify your body or boost your immunity, Ocean Plant Extract is your best bet!
|
- Laminaria Japonica - This miracle cleanser of heavy metals, is the key ingredient in Ocean Plant Extract, which gives you all the health benefit of seaweeds without having to prepare them. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals that help support your thyroid, detoxify your body from heavy metals and ward off disease.
To learn more, read: Russia's "Miracle" Heavy Metal Cleansing Sea Vegetable, "Laminaria Japonica".
- Sea Lettuce - Yep, it looks just like lettuce! Despite a strong seafood taste and odor, it’s delicate after drying and crum
bles easily into tiny tender pieces.
- Ogonori - Also known as sea moss, ogonori is a source of agar that is typically eaten cold.
- Bladderwrack - Used as an additive and flavoring in Europe, bladderwrack has proved most useful in the treatment of underactive thyroid glands (hypothyroidism) and goitre.1
- Alaria - Though versions of alaria can be called nori or wakame, this brown algae is common along the entire Pacific coast of North America so you can find it sourced domestically.
Where to Find Sea Vegetables
Many of these sea vegetables can be found in health food stores, Asian markets and international-oriented produce markets.
Search for the more unusual ones online.
You can also order sea vegetables online for easy, at-your-door delivery!
However you chose to make sea vegetables part of your diet, you may notice yourself feeling younger and healthier once you do.
Source:
Bradley, PR (1992). British Herbal Compendium, Vol. 1. Bournemouth, England: British Herbal Medicine Association. ISBN 0-903032-09-0.
Return to Newsletter Archive
Recommend
This Page to a Friend
Print this article
