PROTECTION FROM THE DEEP
Inhibit tumor growth
Boost immunity
Prevent macular degeneration
When the Beatles were crooning “Octopus’s Garden” back in 1969, they almost certainly weren’t extolling the virtues of seaweed, or sea vegetables, as they’re called by those who harvest and consume them today. But given what we’ve learned about these valuable plants, they probably should have been.
Eaten regularly, sea vegetables can be a valuable source of essential vitamins and minerals. In addition, they contain a variety of protective compounds that may help ward off some serious health threats, such as cancer.
For perhaps thousands of years, sea vegetables have been used in Asian cultures to prevent and treat cancer. As is often the case, research now indicates that there is more than a little scientific evidence supporting these ancient healing methods. “We need more clinical studies, but so far, there have been some interesting population and animal studies showing that sea vegetables can prevent tumors,” says Alfred A. Bushway, PhD, professor of food science at the University of Maine in Orono, who believes that sea vegetables may be partially responsible for the lower cancer rates in countries like Japan, where sea vegetables are as ubiquitous as our potato.
Japanese researchers studied the effects of extracts from eight different kinds of sea vegetables on cells that had been treated with potent cancer-causing agents. The results showed that sea vegetables may have tumor-squelching power.
Two types of leafy sea veggies—kelp and dulse—have been reported to reduce the risk of intestinal or mammary cancer in animal studies. When nutrition researchers at Ryerson University in Toronto studied the effects of extracts of these sea plants on human cervical cancer cells, the results were intriguing. After 72 hours, dulse extracts inhibited cervical cancer cell growth by up to 78 percent while kelp slowed cell growth and division by up to 69 percent. What’s at work? In another study, lead researcher Yvonne Yuan, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, reported that red dulse contains powerful antioxidants that may work in the body to combat cell-damaging free radicals.
Although sea vegetables contain an array of healing nutrients, they also contain iodine and sodium, which, in large amounts, aren’t so helpful.
You need small amounts of iodine for processing protein and carbohydrates. In addition, the thyroid gland requires iodine to regulate growth and development. But a little goes a long way: You only need about 150 micrograms a day.
Sea vegetables, however, may contain many times that amount. People who eat a lot of sea vegetables may find themselves getting too much iodine—1,000 micrograms a day is considered the upper limit—which can make the thyroid work less efficiently, says Alfred A. Bushway, PhD, of the University of Maine in Orono.
Another mineral that sea vegetables carry by the boatload is sodium. Too much sodium can cause high blood pressure in people who are sensitive to it.
If you’re sensitive to sodium, says Dr. Bushway, rinsing sea vegetables prior to cooking will reduce the sodium content by about 10 to 20 percent. Soaking them in water will reduce the levels of sodium even more, by about 50 to 70 percent, depending on the variety you’re using.
If you want your blood to have the strength of the sea itself, a dose of vegetables from its waters can help.
One ounce of kelp, a thin, tender sea vegetable often used in soups and stir-fries, provides 51 micrograms of folate, or 13 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for this B vitamin, which helps break down protein in the body and aids in the regeneration of red blood cells. An ounce of nori, the sea vegetable frequently used in sushi, provides 42 micrograms of folate, or 11 percent of the DV of this vital nutrient.
Kelp also contains magnesium, a mineral that has been found to keep high blood pressure in check, especially among people who are sensitive to sodium. One ounce of kelp has more than 34 milligrams, or almost 9 percent of the DV for this heart-healthy nutrient.
You don’t see too many whales swimming around with the sniffles. Maybe that’s because of all the sea vegetables they’re skimming off the ocean’s swells.
Certain varieties of sea vegetables are packed with important vitamins that boost immunity and help fend off a host of diseases.
Topping this list is the nutritious nori. One ounce of raw nori contains 11 milligrams of infection-fighting vitamin C, or more than 18 percent of the DV. Vitamin C is an antioxidant nutrient widely known for its ability to sweep up harmful, tissue-damaging oxygen molecules called free radicals.
The first time you pull a flat, green sheet of dried nori from its wrapper, your reaction almost certainly will be, “How the heck am I supposed to eat this?”
Although seaweed, which is sold in health food stores and Asian markets, does look strange, it’s surprisingly easy to work with. It’s important, however, to know which kind you’re getting, since each is handled somewhat differently.
Alaria. Also known as wakame, this is the seaweed traditionally used in miso soup. When using it for salads or pasta dishes, simply soften it in water for 2 to 3 minutes and cut it into slivers. Alaria can be quite chewy, but cutting away the stiff midrib will help make it tender.
Dulse. Dried dulse has deep red wrinkled leaves, which can be eaten straight from the package. (It can be quite salty, however, so you may want to rinse it first.) Like nori, dulse is typically snipped and added to soups, stews, and pasta dishes. It is also available in ready-to-use flakes.
Hijiki. One of the stronger tasting seaweeds, hijiki (also spelled “hiziki”) resembles black angel hair pasta in its packaged form. To tame its wild briny flavor, soak it for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain; it will quadruple in size when hydrated. Chefs recommend simmering hijiki for about 30 minutes or until tender, then adding it to salads, vegetables, or bean dishes. It can also be drizzled with sesame oil and eaten as a side dish.
Kelp. Sold in wide, dried, dark green strips, kelp (similar to the Japanese kombu) is often added to soups and stews as a replacement for salt. To add seasoning to bean and grain dishes, chefs will sometimes add strips of kelp. Also, roasted kelp chips make a great garnish.
Nori. Also known as laver, nori is sold in paper-thin, green, dried sheets. It has a mildly briny flavor and is generally used to wrap around sushi, float in soups, or accentuate the flavor of salads and pasta. When adding nori to a dish, use scissors to cut it into strips. You can also tear it with your hands. Sprinkle it into the food, stirring to keep it from clumping.
An ounce of nori also delivers nearly 1,500 IU of vitamin A, or 30 percent of the DV. Studies show that vitamin A not only builds immunity but also can safeguard against night blindness and vision problems associated with aging, such as macular degeneration. In addition, vitamin A can protect against several kinds of cancer.
A word of caution: Ignore infomercials and health food store claims that sea vegetables can “regenerate” your body, normalize thyroid function, or cut food cravings. According to the American Cancer Society, these claims simply aren’t true. Promises that sea plants can cure tuberculosis, fibromyalgia, cancer, asthma, or diabetes could lead you into dangerous waters. Enjoying sea vegetables as you would veggies grown on land makes nutritional sense. Regarding them as medicine doesn’t.
Sprinkle ready-to-eat sea vegetables on rice, salads, or soups. Look for cans of furikake in your local Asian grocery store. Often mistaken by Westerners for goldfish food, furikake is a dry Japanese condiment, made of chopped seaweed, sesame seeds, and other ingredients, which is meant to be sprinkled on top of rice. It doesn’t take a lot of sea vegetables to get the benefits. “Nutritional studies indicate that as little as ¼ ounce of dried sea vegetables can make a significant nutritional contribution to your diet,” says Alfred A. Bushway, PhD, of the University of Maine in Orono.
If you’re among the strictest of vegetarians, meaning that you don’t eat meat, meat products, dairy products, or eggs, you may want to add some sea vegetables to your palette of land vegetables. It’s a helpful way to ensure that you’re getting adequate amounts of vitamin B12, a nutrient most commonly found in meat.
Although there is some controversy about how much vitamin B12 sea vegetables provide, experts agree that those who regularly dine on these vegetables have higher levels of vitamin B12 in their blood than those who do not.
In one study of 21 strict vegetarians, researchers found that those who ate sea vegetables regularly had blood levels of vitamin B12 twice as high as those who didn’t eat the vegetables.
Without adequate amounts of vitamin B12, you can experience fatigue, memory loss, and nerve damage resulting in tingling in the feet and hands. Although few people are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency, it can be a concern for strict vegetarians and for some elderly people who have trouble absorbing this vital nutrient.
Rinse lightly. Dried sea vegetables also provide trace minerals, including potassium. But they’re on the surface, so experts recommend using a light touch when rinsing them prior to cooking. “Some people soak and rinse the life out of their sea vegetables,” says Dr. Bushway. “We just recommend light rinsing. Otherwise, you’ll lose a lot of the surface minerals, like potassium.”
Invest in stock. The best way to retain the maximum amount of nutrients is to make soup out of your sea vegetables, says Dr. Bushway. “When sea vegetables are used in soups, some of the minerals are released into the broth,” he says. “The remainder provide valuable fiber and unique phytochemicals, such as the alginate found in kelp.”
The best way to include more sea vegetables in your diet is to experiment. “Add small, bite-size pieces to salads, soups, stews, grain dishes, stir-fries, and sandwiches,” says Carl Karush of Maine Coast Sea Vegetables in Franklin.
In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the water, potatoes, kelp, and salt. Bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.
Makes 6 servings
Calories: 116
Total fat: 2.5 g
Saturated fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 208 mg
Dietary fiber: 2.7 g