Today, people are conscious of their lifestyles and food habits; they truly believe that a healthy lifestyle reflects what they are. They make smart choices and select food items which promote well-being. One of the food items which have found a place in most of the smart menus are seaweed dishes. Seaweeds, or the marine algae, are classified as sea plants which have gained immense popularity among people due to their variegated benefits relating to health. Whether it’s their organic nature or aid in weight loss or supply of the essential nutrients to the body, these powerful sea veggies are surely making news. Let us get acquainted a bit more about this super food so that you can consume them and become super charged.
Nutrition facts
Seaweeds possess a high ratio of carbohydrates comprising of almost 72 percent of the total food value whereas proteins consist of about 16 percent and fats about 12 percent. One of the amazing facts about these plants is that they are extremely low in Cholesterol and Saturated Fat. Seaweeds are great sources of Vitamin C, A, E, K, Calcium, Riboflavin, Iron, Niacin, Phosphorus, Folic acid and Magnesium. Combined with foods with an amino acid profile, Seaweeds are most likely to possess better protein content too.
What does research say?
Researchers have time and again vouched for the nutritional benefits of Seaweeds. It has been found that these sea plants have certain key ingredients which aid to lower blood pressure and help to prevent strokes and heart attacks. The fiber in Seaweeds consists of alginic acid, a compound which helps to keep the heart healthy. Another research also indicates that the dietary fiber of these sea veggies has anticoagulant which helps to prevent blood clotting and antimutagenic which helps to lower the risk of cancer.
It has also been found that some of the seaweed species such as the hijiki and wakame improve bone health. Wakame also consists of a compound called fucoxanthin which helps in the protection of brain cells and thus improves body resistance against strokes. Some of the researchers have also claimed that seaweed helps in losing weight as this food prevents to absorb fat.
Why is seaweed a superfood?
Seaweeds are loaded with nutrition and help you in many ways to lead a healthy life. Modern civilization has become aware of the potential dangers of consuming high calorie food and has realized the benefits of an organic, vegetarian diet. A seaweed diet is one of the ideal diets as it helps you to have a balanced diet and provides all the nutrients to the body unlike the soil veggies and fruits. Seaweeds contain all the essential minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, sodium and potassium in adequate amount for a healthy consumption.
In addition to this, these sea vegetables also contain important vitamins including vitamin B12, a rare compound found in land veggies. Consumption of Seaweeds such as hijiki, arame, wakame and kombu are known to flush out the toxins of the body. The Japanese include arame in their daily diet as it is possesses minerals which promote healthy growth of the hair.
Seaweeds are known to regulate the hormones and assist in metabolism which ensures a youthful skin and a youthful mind as well. These miraculous sea plants help to lessen hot flashes during menopause and prevent osteoporosis in women. A seaweed diet can also cure health problems such as anemia and impotence. Seaweeds are full of antioxidants and help in the proper functioning of the glands in your body.
Serving tips
If you are puzzled at how to include seaweeds in your diet, just relax. You can buy it in a dry form from any health shop and prepare a raw salad of it or use as a seasoning over a salad. Soups, casseroles and maki-sushi turn out great with the use of these sea vegetables. If you want some adventure in food, get set to prepare a whole wheat pizza with a topping of garlic, onions, tomatoes and seaweed such as nori. You can prepare a healthy snack with a combination of scrambled tofu, egg whites, diced mushrooms, shredded carrots, onions, sesame oil and nori. You can also roast nori and sprinkle it over hot rice which has been flavored with parsley, avocado and soy sauce. Burgers also can turn out healthy with an addition of seaweed extract to it.
Though the traditional food of Asia includes sea vegetables, with the craze for sushi restaurants, sea vegetables are gaining popularity in every corner of the world. Moreover, the gamut of health benefits in Seaweeds has increased their demands. Now, everyone craves for a bite of this fantastic sea wonder.