Home Ocean Facts What is seaweed? What is seaweed? Seaweed is chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and can be tasty. For at least 1, years, the Japanese have enrobed a mixture of raw fish, sticky rice, and other ingredients in a seaweed called nori.
The delectable result is a sushi roll. Seaweed contains a lot of fiber, which does not contain any calories The fiber in seaweed may slow stomach emptying, too. This helps you feel fuller for longer and can delay hunger pangs Seaweed is also considered to have anti-obesity effects. In particular, several animal studies suggest that a substance in seaweed called fucoxanthin may help reduce body fat 32 , 33 , One animal study found that rats who consumed fucoxanthin lost weight, whereas rats who consumed the control diet did not.
The results showed that fucoxanthin increased the expression of a protein that metabolizes fat in rats Other animal studies found similar results. For example, fucoxanthin has been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels in rats, further aiding weight loss 35 , Seaweed may help you lose weight because it contains few calories, filling fiber and fucoxanthin, which contributes to an increased metabolism.
Factors that increase your risk include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and being physically inactive or overweight. Interestingly, seaweed may help reduce your blood cholesterol levels 37 , Heart disease can also be caused by excessive blood clotting.
Seaweed contains carbohydrates called fucans, which may help prevent blood from clotting 40 , In fact, one animal study found that fucans extracted from seaweed prevented blood clotting as effectively as an anti-clotting drug Researchers are also starting to look at peptides in seaweed. Initial studies in animals indicate that these protein-like structures may block part of a pathway that increases blood pressure in your body 42 , 43 , Seaweed may help reduce your cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of blood clots, but more studies are needed.
By the year , million people worldwide are expected to have type 1 or type 2 diabetes Interestingly, seaweed has become a research focus for new ways to support people who are at risk of diabetes An eight-week study in 60 Japanese people revealed that fucoxanthin, a substance in brown seaweed, may help improve blood sugar control Participants received a local seaweed oil that contained either 0 mg, 1 mg or 2 mg of fucoxanthin.
The study found that those who received 2 mg of fucoxanthin had improved blood sugar levels, compared to the group who received 0 mg The study also noted additional improvements in blood sugar levels in those with a genetic disposition to insulin resistance, which usually accompanies type 2 diabetes Several other animal studies have reported improved blood sugar control when seaweed extracts are added to the diet 50 , 51 , Fucoxanthin, alginate and other compounds in seaweed may help reduce your blood sugar levels, consequently reducing your risk of diabetes.
Although seaweed is considered a very healthy food, there may be some potential dangers of consuming too much. This poses a risk to those who consume seaweed every day, as 1, mcg of iodine is the tolerable upper limit TUL for adults 6 , 8. Fortunately, in Asian cultures seaweed is commonly eaten with foods that can inhibit the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland.
These foods are known as goitrogens and found in foods like broccoli, cabbage, and bok choy 8. While a few case reports have associated iodine-containing kelp consumption and thyroid dysfunction, thyroid function returned to normal once consumption stopped 53 , Nevertheless, high amounts of seaweed can affect thyroid function, and symptoms of too much iodine are often the same as symptoms of not enough iodine 6.
If you think you are consuming too much iodine and experience symptoms like swelling around your neck region or weight fluctuations, reduce your intake of iodine-rich foods and talk to your doctor.
Seaweed can absorb and store minerals in concentrated amounts 8. This poses a health risk, as seaweed can also contain large amounts of toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and lead.
That said, the heavy metal content in seaweed is usually below the maximum concentration allowances in most countries A recent study analyzed the concentration of 20 metals in 8 different seaweeds from Asia and Europe. Sushi is wrapped with it, and bird's nest soup is made from regurgitated seaweed in bird saliva that glues nests to cliffs.
Carrageenan extracted from red seaweed is a thickening agent used in puddings, chocolate milk, chewing gum, jams and jellies. Algin or alginates from brown seaweed and agar from red seaweed are widely used in bakery products, candies, dairy products, salad dressings, ice creams and creams and jellies, as well as in processing meats, sausages and fish and in clarifying beers and wines.
Carrageenan and algins are used in pharmaceuticals as binders, stabilizers, emulsifiers and for creating molds. The dental industry also uses them in molding preparations. Alginates provide controlled release to oral solid medications, gastric reflux control, thickening and stabilization to oral liquids such as cough medicine as well as being used in wound care.
Agar, derived from the cell walls of some red algae, has been a mainstay of bacteriological investigations since , according to Christopher Lobban in "The Biology of Seaweeds. Whole seaweed is milled and added to bath water as a skin treatment.
Crushed seaweed or seaweed paste is added to a large variety of preparations such as facial masks, body gels, creams and shampoos. Carrageenans are used in toothpastes, shampoos, hair conditioners, shaving products and skin cleaners. Alginates are added to many kinds of cosmetics. Seaweed can be applied whole to garden soil. It can also be dried and ground into fertilizer meal or processed and made into seaweed extract, which is then diluted for use.
Seaweed fertilizer adds trace elements as well as plant nutrients like potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
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