Seaweed is high on the superfoods list. The fantastic plant from the sea is nutritionally dense and packed with minerals—one of the best in the world. Nori (the seaweed used for sushi rolls) and kelp are the most common, but you should also try arame, wakame, and dulse. Some say seaweed is the reason for Japan’s low rate of disease. And here’s why you should include this amazing food in your diet:
- Detoxifying—seaweed is a great detoxifying food because of its rich chlorophyll content which works wonders at eliminating toxins and waste.
- Alkalizes and purifies your blood—because the chemical composition of seaweed is close to human blood plasma, it is a great food to regulating and purifying your blood. Seaweed also neutralizes the acidity that comes with most of the foods we eat.
- Weight loss—the high level of iodine stimulates the thyroid gland, thus boosting and maintaining the metabolic system. The stimulation of the thyroid can also prevent fatigue, high cholesterol, and muscle weakness.
- Anti-cancer properties—seaweed can help regulate estrogen and estradiol levels; these are two hormones that maintain healthy sexual organs and keeping the levels regulated can help prevent against breast cancer.
- High in antioxidants—the high level of antioxidants found in seaweed can help prevent inflammation and thus avoid asthma, obesity, arthritis, depression, and, muscle weakness.
For some ideas on how to incorporate seaweed into your meals, check out my book The Goddess of Raw Foods for recipes including my Goddess of the Sea Salad and my Seaweed Miso Soup. Seaweed with some sesame seeds and seasoning is great as a side dish, or you can buy dried sheets from the grocery and store for a low-cal high-nutrient snack.
Stay happy and healthy!
