Crunchy texture. Salty taste. Umami flavor. Three things that you definitely want more of. But what about vitamins and minerals that support thyroid function? Or improve gut health? This is all about to come together, I promise. What all of these attributes have in common is seaweed. Yes, the dark green wrap that surrounds your sushi rolls actually offers so much more than security for your spicy tuna. I'm here to help you with two important things about seaweed: why and how you should be eating it.
Why You Should Eat It
So we've gotten past the point that seaweed has important benefits to our health, but what exactly are they? For starters, seaweed contains a high amount of essential vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, K, calcium, potassium, iodine and iron. In fact, sea vegetables contain 10 times the amount of vitamins of land vegetables. Even though it tastes rich and flavorful, seaweed is surprisingly low in sodium too.
More than our health, consuming seaweed also positively affects the environment. According to the World Bank's 2016 report, seaweed farms produce over 15 times the amount of protein that livestock farms do. Even more, these underwater farms require no soil, no fertilizer and no land, easing the environmental stressors that can be harming our planet.
Need one more reason to try the ocean lettuce? Jamie Oliver, British chef and TV host, claims to have lost 28 pounds that he credits to seaweed...
How to Eat It
Now that you know it's not going to hurt you, you can go ahead and try the stuff. "Where do I find it?" you may ask. "How do I eat it without looking like a weirdo in public?" These are two extremely valid questions that I hope I can help solve.
SeaSnax
SeaSnax is a brand that is committed to producing roasted seaweed snacks with "100% organic extra virgin olive oil and a touch of sea salt". With ingredients this simple, you might be shocked at how good these taste. Although they're not incredibly filling, they taste great and are an easy thing to munch on when you get that urge to have a quick snack before dinner. SeaSnax are found in cute square packages all over the country at places like Target, CVS and local grocery stores.
#SpoonTip: For a more filling snack, pair the roasted seaweed strips with avocado for a somewhat sweet and savory pairing.
Nora Seaweed Snacks
Nora is taking seaweed mainstream with their mini tempura chips in aesthetically-pleasing bags. These are little crunchy bites of tempura batter wrapped in seaweed that are perfect for when you're craving chips or a salty bite. Not into the wheat thing? They have crispy strips of seaweed to give you that awesome umami flavor without the gluten. Find these bad boys on Amazon and you can get them the next day.
Kelp Noodles
Good news! Kelp noodles--those weird slimy things you might have seen in your Whole Foods spaghetti aisle--are a type of sea vegetable. In other words, you can get that noodle fix with essentially none of the calories and alllll of the health benefits. They're super easy to prepare: just add a sauce of your choice. I love to pair mine with Pad Thai flavors or go for a basil pesto dish. If you're not into making these yourself, check out your nearest organic/vegan/healthy food market in the prepared foods section (see: Erewhon).
Sushi
If all else fails, at least use this as an excuse to eat more of one of my favorite cuisines. Now you can justify your sushi addiction (and the $$ it costs you) knowing that there's something good for your body in there.