No Science to this but it works
Very often when clients experience a weight-loss plateau, the simple solution is to vary the meal plan and try new foods. It frequently works which astonishes me as I cannot explain it. They change a breakfast or make a new dinner. Eating a variety of foods is vital for health especially to ensure we do not have a deficiency in a nutrient e.g. vanadium. Sea vegetables are an interesting choice for this discussion and may even help weight-loss.
How to use seaweed in your daily food
Sea vegetables require no cooking. Some require soaking. Check the package instructions. Add a little sea vegetable to soups, stews, casseroles, thai curries, stir-fries. It is perfect in a butter sauce over seafood. Pulverize dried seaweed in a food processor and sprinkle over almost anything – my pizza recipe, salads, in pitta’s and wraps. Noodles made from kelp and wakame are available from health shops. Sheets of seaweed (nori) can be wrapped inside a roll.
Certain seaweeds are edible and hence the use of the word Sea Vegetables
There are 3 types – Brown, Red & Green Algae
Brown Algae – Kombu/Kelp, Wakame, Arame, Hijiki (avoid Hijiki)
Green Algae – Sea lettuce, sea asparagus (samphire)
Red Algae – Nori, Agar agar, Dulse
The benefits of including Sea Vegetables in your Diet
- Sea vegetables offer a broad range of minerals, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean and many of the minerals found in our body. They are a great source of iodine, iron, magnesium, vanadium, Vitamin C, Manganese, B2, calcium and other minerals and this may help to combat any deficiencies in the soil our crops are grown in. Naturally low in calories and rich in anti-oxidants. Nutrient content will vary but a snap shot in time is seen below in a sample of vegetables
Just 1 teaspoon (5g) of sea vegetable contained the following % of our reference nutrient intake (RNI).
| % daily RNI | calcium | magnesium | iron | copper | zinc | manganese | iodine | B2 | B12 |
| wakame |
4% |
9% |
4% |
5% |
1% |
20% |
647% |
1% |
7% |
| Nori |
3% |
7% |
7% |
3% |
20% |
57% |
4% |
93% |
|
| Komba |
5% |
11% |
4% |
2% |
3% |
3% |
16000% |
0.6% |
6% |
| Irish Moss |
0.5% |
3% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
Source: McCance & Widdowson 6th Edition. The Composition of Foods.
- Many Irish women in their 50’s experience a change in thyroid function (under or over active). Iodine is critical to thyroid health and fish and dairy are the best sources but some people are moving away from dairy and do not like fish. Sea vegetables are a easy alternative.
- Some of my recipes contain lentils and beans which can cause flatulence and bloating in some clients. Legumes are a great source of fibre and nutrients and I want to keep them in our diet. Seaweed helps to improve beans’ digestibility and prevent flatulence.
- [1]Potentially helpful for weight loss – Sea vegetables contain enzymes called haloperoxidases. These enzymes require the mineral vanadium. Vanadium may help to increase our body’s sensitivity to insulin, decrease our body’s production of glucose and help us increase our body’s ability to store starch in the form of glycogen.
- They contain Fucoidans, sulphated polysaccharides that may offer some protection against viruses.
Potential hazard
Our oceans are polluted and sea vegetables have an amazing capacity to absorb minerals. Therefore they potentially are a source of arsenic, lead and cadmium if the waters off our coast line are polluted. Some marine ecologists actually use sea vegetables as a kind of “biomonitor” to determine levels of heavy metal pollution in bodies of water.
To avoid health risks, buy certified organic sea vegetables off the West Coast of Ireland.
More information of Seaweeds
Nori: Dark purple-black colour that turns phosphorescent green when toasted, famous for its role in making sushi rolls. Simply crumble and use to season soup, salads, etc.
Kelp: Light brown to dark green in color, often times available in flake form. Also sold in powdered form. One easy way is to keep a container of kelp flakes on the dinner table and use it instead of table salt for seasoning foods.
Kombu: Very dark in color and generally sold in strips or sheets, oftentimes used as a flavoring for soups. To greatly enhance beans’ digestibility and prevent flatulence, add a strip of kombu to the pot when cooking beans. (see picture above) Rinse first under running water for a short time then place in warm water until soft. Kombu usually takes about 10-15 minutes to soften. Chop and add to your recipe.
Wakame: Green and silky when soaked. Most commonly used to make Japanese miso soup. Rinse under cool running water for a short time then soak in a bowl of warm water. Wakame softens fairly quickly, about 5-7 minutes. Chop and add to your recipe.
Arame: This lacy, wiry sea vegetable is sweeter and milder in taste than many others, and can be integrated in salads.
Dulse: Soft, chewy texture and a reddish-brown color. A great addition to soups. Dulse can usually be added to your recipe without soaking first. Just rinse quickly under cool running water
Special Cooking Tips: The water becomes very nutritious and flavourful from soaking the sea vegetables and can be used in the recipe you are making.
How to select and store
Look for sea vegetables that are sold in tightly sealed packages. Avoid those that have evidence of excessive moisture. Store sea vegetables in tightly sealed containers at room temperature where they can stay fresh for at least several months.
- Thompson et al (2006). Vanadium treatment of type 2 diabetes: A view to the future. Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. Vol 104:4:pg 554-558
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