The Benefits of Sea Vegetables

Why would anyone want to eat sea vegetables? Because they offer one of the broadest ranges of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean—and not surprisingly, many of same minerals found in human blood. They are anti-cancer, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and antivirals.

Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin B2. They are also a very good source of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids) and copper as well as a good source of protein, pantothenic acid, potassium, iron, zinc, vitamin B6, niacin, phosphorus, and vitamin B1.

While the broad range of minerals provided by sea vegetables make them a great addition to your diet, Westerners are often not quite sure how to add more of these nutrient-rich foods to their meals. 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. You can also experiment with adding your favorite sea vegetable to vegetable dishes, salads, and miso soups. They are easy to add to dishes as they require no cooking.

Tips for Preparing Sea VegetablesMany types of sea vegetables require soaking for 5-10 minutes before adding to your dish. It is best to follow the directions on the package. The soaking water can be used for soups or to Healthy Sautéeing vegetables. Other types of sea vegetables such as nori and kelp flakes can be used without soaking.


Reprinted from whfoods.org.