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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- Food and Drug Administration: Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide (14. Appendix F: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients)
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin A
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
- Linus Pauling Institute: Folic Acid
- Linus Pauling Institute: Carotenoids
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Vitamins in Seaweed
Seaweed is a nutrient-rich food that provides iodine, protein, iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. It also provides a variety of vitamins. Types of seaweed featured in some Japanese soups include wakame and kelp, while dried nori or laver are eaten as a snack food. The various types of seaweed have similar nutrient compositions.
Vitamin A for Eye Health
A 1-cup serving of raw nori seaweed provides 4,161 international units of vitamin A, or 83 percent of the daily value for vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for preventing night blindness and maintaining a strong immune system, according to the Linus Pauling Institute 345. It also allows your body to use iron properly to produce healthy red blood cells. Seaweed provides vitamin A is in the form of beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant.
Joint Health with Vitamin C
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Each cup of raw nori seaweed supplies 31 milligrams of vitamin C, or 52 percent of the daily value for vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin and a necessary nutrient for a strong immune system. It also allows your body to synthesize cartilage to maintain healthy joints, according to the Linus Pauling Institute 345. Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron from plant-based sources, such as seaweed, beans and spinach.
Increase Folate Intake
Raw nori provides 117 micrograms of folate, or 29 percent of the daily value, in a 1-cup serving. Folate is a B vitamin that works closely with vitamin B-12 and vitamin B-6 to metabolize an amino acid called homocysteine, according to the Linus Pauling Institute 345. Folate deficiency and high levels of homocysteine in your blood are risk factors for heart disease. Folate also helps protect against neural tube birth defects.
- Raw nori provides 117 micrograms of folate, or 29 percent of the daily value, in a 1-cup serving.
- Folate is a B vitamin that works closely with vitamin B-12 and vitamin B-6 to metabolize an amino acid called homocysteine, according to the Linus Pauling Institute 3.
Low-Calorie, Too
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Seaweed is low-calorie, with only 28 calories in a 1-cup serving. This serving size provides 4.7 grams of protein, or 9 percent of the daily value for protein based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A cup of seaweed supplies 64 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, which is a heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid. The exact nutrient value of seaweed depends on the type of seaweed you purchase. Choose unsalted varieties to limit your intake of sodium, which is a mineral that can raise blood pressure.
- Seaweed is low-calorie, with only 28 calories in a 1-cup serving.
- A cup of seaweed supplies 64 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, which is a heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid.
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References
- Yale University: Description of Food Items
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Seaweed, Laver, Raw
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin A
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin C
- Linus Pauling Institute: Folic Acid
- University of Maine: Sea Vegetable or Seaweed
- Linus Pauling Institute: Carotenoids
- Seaweed, wakame, raw. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.
- Luthuli S, Wu S, Cheng Y, Zheng X, Wu M, Tong H. Therapeutic effects of fucoidan: A review on recent studies. Mar Drugs. 2019;17(9). doi:10.3390/md17090487
- Cherry P, O'Hara C, Magee PJ, Mcsorley EM, Allsopp PJ. Risks and benefits of consuming edible seaweeds. Nutr Rev. 2019;77(5):307-329. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy066
- Kim EK, Ju SY. Asthma and dietary intake of fish, seaweeds, and fatty acids in Korean adults. Nutrients. 2019;11(9). doi:10.3390/nu11092187
- Fidelis GP, Silva CHF, Nobre LTDB, Medeiros VP, Rocha HAO, Costa LS. Antioxidant fucoidans obtained from tropical seaweed protect pre-osteoblastic cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced damage. Mar Drugs. 2019;17(9). doi:10.3390/md17090506
- Barone J. 6 Things to Know About Seaweed. Berkeley Wellness, University of California. Updated 2016.
- Folate: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated 2020.
- Shellfish and Fish Allergy. British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Updated 2012.
- Vitamin K: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated 2020.
- Seaweeds Used as Human Food. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Writer Bio
Natalie Stein specializes in weight loss and sports nutrition. She is based in Los Angeles and is an assistant professor with the Program for Public Health at Michigan State University. Stein holds a master of science degree in nutrition and a master of public health degree from Michigan State University.