If you know several seaweed nutrition facts, then you will surely include this healthy
sea vegetable in your meal. Especially since seaweed is known as a good source
for several nutrition which available in high level inside this sea vegetable. Sadly
not many westerners are eating enough amount of the seaweed since it is quite
new food item in the western country. However, it has been consumed for
thousands of years in the Asian countries since they already know about the
nutrition facts that the seaweed has. That is why, they already earn the
benefits from eating this sea vegetable.
Seaweed nutrition facts that you should
know
Actually thousands kinds of seaweed are
available in this world, however only tens of them are consumed by people. Some
of the most common kinds of seaweed being consumed are the kombu and wakame
which comes from brown type seaweed, as well as dulse and nori which comes from
red type seaweed. And because of the rising popularity of this sea vegetable in
the western country, it is often considered as the new kale which can be used
with different kinds of dishes. This is why; you can often see this sea
vegetable in many restaurants all over the world.
Seaweed nutrition facts common usage had actually started since 1500 bce
where on Ebers Papyrus this sea vegetable is said to be used as natural cure
for tumors. In Chinese traditional medicine, the seaweed is also used as
remedies for many kinds of disease including infection on the urinary tract and
goiter. Even in the current modern medical era, the usage of seaweed is still
research since it shows huge potential in the medical usage. One example is on
the finding of fucoidans which is a type of polysaccharide inside the seaweed
which shows antiviral activity which can encourage the death of colon cancer
cells in human. Furthermore a study in human shows that this sea vegetable is
able to decrease the sugar absorption rate right after the consumption.
Different kinds of seaweed contains
different amount of protein, and the red seaweed type has the highest amount
among all. That can come up to around 50 gram for 3.5 ounce of red seaweed type.
Furthermore, there are many kinds of vitamins inside this sea vegetable such as
vitamin D, C, B and E. There is also carotenoids which is a type of vitamin A.
the seaweed is a vegetable, thus it is the same as other vegetable that also
contain vitamin K. Many kinds of minerals are also available inside the seaweed
such as iron, calcium, copper, potassium and magnesium. Most unique mineral
that all seaweed has is the iodine which is available in high level especially
inside the brown seaweed type.
Other seaweed
nutrition facts, that many people love is the fact that the seaweed
contains high amount of fiber. Furthermore the fiber itself is the soluble
fiber which is very useful to make you feel fuller in longer duration. This
fiber is also useful to reduce the LDL cholesterol which is the bad for your
body. On every 3.5 oz of dulse type of seaweed contains around 5 gram fiber
which most of them are soluble, then on the kombu type of seaweed contains
around 6 gram fiber which almost all of them are soluble.
A type of fiber inside the seaweed which is
alginate is known to block the fat absorption on your digestive tract as well
as useable on heartburn treatment. Furthermore this sea vegetable also contains
different types of polysaccharides such as carrageenans, agar, and many others.
Those substances are very usable as fiber as well as prebiotic that is very
beneficial for the bacteria inside large intestine.
Even though the seaweed only contains very
little fat, but a lot of seaweed contains high amount of omega 3 for both ALA
as well as EPA type. While some of the seaweed also contains DHA. Furthermore
seaweed also contains high amount of antioxidant in the form of vitamin E and C
as well as phytochemicals in the form of fucoxanthin, and polyphenols which is
some types of carotenoid.