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- Medline Plus: Iodine in Diet
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12
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The Nutritional Value of Seaweed
For good health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that you get 1 1/2 to 2 cups of green vegetables a week. When you consider what green vegetables to eat, you probably think spinach and broccoli. While these are certainly healthy choices, if you're looking for a green vegetable that really packs a nutritional wallop, add seaweed to your weekly greens.
Good Choice for the Calorie Conscious
Like most other green vegetables, seaweed is low in calories, ranging from 15 calories in 1 1/2 pieces of kombu to 40 calories in four sheets of nori. Most Americans get more calories than they need, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and this trend is contributing to the obesity epidemic. Loading your plate with low-calorie vegetables like seaweed might help reduce your overall calorie intake without leaving you feeling hungry.
Build Stronger Bones
Vitamins in Seaweed
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If you're looking for a nonmilk source of calcium, seaweed fits the bill. Alaria, which is an Atlantic seaweed related to the Japanese wakame, has the most calcium, meeting 14 percent of the daily value in a 1/2-cup serving. Arame and hijiki, which are both Japanese seaweeds, are also good sources of calcium, meeting 10 percent of your daily value in a 1/2-cup serving. Calcium is not only important for bone health but also muscle function, nerve transmission and hormone secretion.
- If you're looking for a nonmilk source of calcium, seaweed fits the bill.
- Arame and hijiki, which are both Japanese seaweeds, are also good sources of calcium, meeting 10 percent of your daily value in a 1/2-cup serving.
Build Better Blood
Both alaria and dulse -- an Atlantic seaweed grown off the coast of Maine -- are good sources of both iron and vitamin B-12. You need both of these nutrients to make red blood cells. Not getting enough iron or vitamin B-12 in your diet can lead to anemia, which can make you feel tired, dizzy and irritable. For vegans, seaweed makes a good green vegetable choice because vitamin B-12 is primarily found in animal products 2.
- Both alaria and dulse -- an Atlantic seaweed grown off the coast of Maine -- are good sources of both iron and vitamin B-12.
- For vegans, seaweed makes a good green vegetable choice because vitamin B-12 is primarily found in animal products 2.
Keeps the Metabolism Going
Carbs and Protein in Spinach
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Iodine is a trace mineral that assists in the conversion of food into energy in your cells while also supporting normal thyroid function. Most people meet their daily iodine needs with iodized salt, according to MedlinePlus. But seaweed, with all its nutritional benefits, may be a better source. Depending on the type of seaweed, one serving meets 98 percent to 3,266 percent of the daily value for iodine.
- Iodine is a trace mineral that assists in the conversion of food into energy in your cells while also supporting normal thyroid function.
- Depending on the type of seaweed, one serving meets 98 percent to 3,266 percent of the daily value for iodine.
Related Articles
References
- Best Health: Why You Should Eat More Seaweed
- Nutrition Diva: Is Seaweed Good for You?
- Medline Plus: Iodine in Diet
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12
- 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.
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Writer Bio
Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Diabetes Self-Management and in the book "Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation," edited by John R. Bach, M.D. Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition.