When consumed, this marine plant or seaweed benefits for human body is really high. Fact
about seaweed is that they are comes in different types and there are even
about 10.000 kinds of seaweed worldwide. Seaweeds distinguished in three groups
which are red, green, and brown. For centuries, seaweed is used or cooked as
parts of traditional dishes from Korea, Japan, and China. But in recent years,
the use of seaweed as part of dishes start to move to other countries like in
the European cuisine and in the United States, some companies start to
cultivate this marine plants as well.
Tropical countries such as Indonesia and
Malaysia, also like to eat seaweed particularly as salad components. In
addition, with seaweed growing in popularity, now there are so easy to find
seaweed especially in dried form. You can purchase them in grocery stores in
many brands and you can eat them with steamed rice or other foods complement.
If you are still curious about the plant that often being referred as ‘sea
vegetables’ then read this fact about seaweed
plants.
Fact about
seaweed that you probably do not know yet
Here are top 7 facts
about seaweed that you maybe do not know yet:
1.
Seaweed contains unique mineral
substance
Seaweed is one of the best
sources for mineral content since about 34 percent of dried seaweed comprises
minerals. People who eating seaweed will get almost minerals required for human
body such as trace minerals (iron, zinc, and chopper) and macro minerals
(sodium, calcium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sulfur).
2.
Actually, seaweed is not
exactly sea vegetable
Many people often referred
or called seaweed as sea vegetables, but in fact this marine plant is clearly algae.
The word vegetables usually used as marketing term to make it more appealing.
Seaweed actually is the common name for various types of algae and marine
plants found in ocean, lakes, rivers, and water bodies.
3.
Seaweed can be used as organic
fertilizer
Because of the high
mineral content in the seaweed, this algae often used as natural organic
fertilizer in coastal town where the plants easy to be found and available.
Even in centuries, it is used as fertilizer in Ireland potato farms and the
documents show that the use of seaweed fertilizer can produce about twenty
times more potatoes than farms which did not use similar method. As today, you
can still buy seaweed fertilizer.
4.
Fact about
seaweed may become the secret of Japanese hair
There is some suggestion
that the long and thick black of Japanese hair is due to the people like to eat
seaweed which in case, one particular type of seaweed called hijiki that
resembles long black hair when it grows in the ocean. And since the algae
contain high minerals such as zinc and iron, maybe that’s suggestion isn’t only
a rumor or just an old-wise tale. Both zinc and iron promoting hair growth,
hair follicle health, and improve long locks.
5.
Fact about
seaweed as foods, it
can be eaten as delicious snacks
Nori has been pressed into
sheet as dried seaweed since long ago and nowadays, they are more popular as
tasty snack food. You can even use nori to roll rice, vegetables, and other
filling you like with nori sheets. However, you can eat them plain as well and
in the market, there are mini seaweed sheets with different flavors such as
wasabi, chipotle, and onion. They are super delicious, low in calories, and
highly nutritious. They are come in packages and easy to be found.
6.
Seaweed can be used as vegan
dessert
Seaweed is not only can be
used as snack food, but a type of seaweed namely agar-agar is often used as
thickeners in soups, desserts, and sauces. The best thing about agar-agar is
that unlike fish, they come without odor, calories, and taste so they are great
alternative for cornstarch, gelatin, and other types of thickeners.
7.
Seaweed can be used against
bean bloat
To make the beans more
digestible, you can enjoy them by cook the beans with seaweed kombu. By using
this method, the beans less likely cause bloat. Soak the beans in water
overnight and in the morning drain them. Place to another pot fill it with
fresh water and boil them then add about 4 to 6 piece of kombu. When you are
done, discard the kombu and if there is any small kombu left that break, you
can simply eat them together with the beans, it is okay.
Those are fact about seaweed and by reading above information, you finally
understand more about this amazing sea plants.