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  • Send kelp! Why seaweed is good for you and great for the planet

    Staff Writer - 4 min read


    Rich in vitamins and minerals, delicious, and a potential solution to the global climate crisis? Meet seaweed, one of the planet’s most unlikely health heroes.

    Send kelp! Why seaweed is good for you and great for the planet

    Dancing below the surface of the world’s oceans and clinging to rocky coastlines, you’ll find one of the planet’s most important and versatile plant forms: seaweed.

    You may recognise it from your local sushi shop or lunchtime poke bowl, but the benefits of seaweed go far beyond recreational snacking (although it’s very good for that too).

    Seaweed 101: What is it?

    So, seaweeds aren’t actually weeds. They’re not even plants! Seaweeds are a type of algae that grow in the sea, rivers and lakes, and are used in a wide range of applications: food, medicine, saving the planet (but we’ll get to that later). Seaweed is high in vitamins and nutrients, and has been used in cooking by Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Native American populations for thousands of years.

    Seaweed is really good for you

    Seaweed – specifically kelp – has a slew of health benefits. It’s a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin K and folate, and is packed with fibre. Vegetarian? Seaweed is chock-full of protein – essential for tissue building and repair.

    It’s also rich in iodine, an essential mineral we need for healthy thyroid function. “Iodine deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies we have in Australia,” says AIA Vitality Ambassador Marika Day. “It can cause a range of issues – some mild and some more serious.”

    Pregnant women can be particularly vulnerable to iodine deficiency, so it’s important they make sure they’re getting the right amount in their diet. “Iodine plays a big role in foetus brain development and thyroid function, and seaweed could be a good way of helping that,” says Marika. “But it’s important not to over-consume it, as that can have some negative impacts, such as thyroid inflammation.”  

    Kelp, nori, wakame: What’s the difference?

    From delicate sea lettuces to thick ropes of dabberlocks, there are many different types of seaweed to get familiar with.

    If you’re a fan of Japanese food, you’ve probably had nori wrapped around your hand rolls or in a big bowl of ramen. A dark green/black crisp sheet, nori is salty and a little nutty. Many refer to nori as the ‘gateway’ seaweed.

    Kelp, commonly known as kombu, is thick, ‘meaty’ and very salty. Use it in dashi, a savoury broth, or add it to salads or rice after soaking it in boiling water. Kelp is an essential ingredient in miso soup.

    Wakame is a slightly sweet, curly seaweed, with a delicate flavour, commonly used in miso soup and salads (it’s that bright green one topped with sesame seeds you’ve probably seen at your favourite sushi stand). 

    Seaweed is really good for the planet, too

    Nutrient-rich algae has been proven to absorb carbon dioxide, drawing it in from the atmosphere, counteracting acidification in the water and cooling the temperature of the world’s oceans and seas. 

    Kelp farms – underwater forests made of thick strands of seaweed – are popping up around the globe, with cultivations in southeast Asia, the USA, Canada, Great Britain, and right here in Australia. Seaweed farming is considered one of the least environmentally-damaging forms of aquaculture, as the seaweed doesn’t require fresh water or fertilisers – just a steady current of seawater, which is full of essential nutrients.

    Seaweed can also help reduce methane gas emissions. If farmers supplement their livestock feed with seaweed, studies have shown that methane emissions from cattle are greatly reduced. This is because the metabolites found in seaweed disrupt the methane-producing enzymes found in the stomach. 

    And while wind, solar and hydropower are leading the charge on the renewable energy front, kelp is also being transformed into biofuel (a fuel derived from living matter).

    Seaweed is delicious – and easy to incorporate into your diet

    So how can you work more seaweed into your diet? You can sprinkle dulse onto scrambled eggs, whizz up your green smoothie with a scoop of spirulina (not a seaweed per se, but an antioxidant-rich algae), or snack on crispy sheets of seasoned nori.

    Marika stresses the importance of mixing up your diet and trying new things. “From a nutrition standpoint, a broad range of different foods is good to aim for,” she says. “And exploring new food cultures and the ways different people eat is a nice way to keep life – and mealtimes – interesting!”

    While it’s not recommended to fill up a bag with seaweed next time you’re at the beach, edible seaweeds are available from most health food shops and supermarkets, and can make for a delicious and healthy addition to a balanced diet. 

    RELATED CONTENT

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    Article 2: Dial down the sugar without cutting out chocolate
    Article 3: Your QS: is coconut oil good for you?


    Disclaimer:
    This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

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    Copyright © 2021. AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Priority Protection and Priority Protection for Platform Investors products are issued by AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861, AFSL 230043). AIA Vitality, a personalised, science-backed program that supports members every day to make healthier choices, is available with eligible products issued by AIA Australia. AIA Health with AIA Vitality is issued by AIA Health Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 32 611 323 034, a registered private health insurer governed by the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, Private Health Insurance Rules 2007 and the AIA Health Insurance Pty Ltd Fund Rules. The information on this website is current as at 1 April 2021 and may be subject to change. It is general information only and is not intended in any way to be financial, legal, tax, health, medical, nutritional or other advice. You should consider your own personal circumstances and needs and view the relevant product documents, fact sheets, fund rules and terms and conditions before making a decision to acquire such products. If necessary you should obtain professional advice from a financial, tax, medical or health professional. Unless expressly stated, any views or expressions of opinion (including any video content) do not represent the opinion of AIA.
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