Note: This is a guest blog by one of our fantastic mermaids, but in this case our one and only “Merman” Jay Fickess.
Yuck. Eat weeds? Why?
The word weed has taken on a few meanings, mostly referring to plants that we believe to be undesirable and invasive. But there are some weeds that are healthful, tasty and worth considering as a food source. Purslane, dandelion, clover. Most notable, in my opinion: seaweed.
It’s a name for a host of plants that lie next to the shore lines all over the world. There are three main types: brown, green and red. And they do a lot more for us besides getting caught in boat propellers and tangling up fishing lines.Seaweed
can keep us healthy. It’s a macro-nutrient. Some of them are most
notable for their health benefits. Chlorella, a blue-green algae
(seaweed), is known for its vitamin and mineral content. Vitamins and
minerals help our body’s cell, in particular the cell membrane. This is
important, perhaps obviously, because our bodies are our cells. Healthy
cells = healthy you.
Other great seaweeds: nori (most often used as a wrap for sushi, sold in dried sheets), komba, bladderwrack (both great additions to salads).
These seaweeds soak up nutrients from the sea water around them, including iodine, sea salt and magnesium. Iodine helps your thyroid gland, which is important because the hormones produced by the thyroid govern many of the functions of our bodies. Careful, however: if you have hyper-thyroidism, too much iodine can throw things out of whack. In this case, don’t eat a lot of seaweed for extended periods. Magnesium is a mineral that many of us lack enough of. It helps ward off disease, and a lot of us are deficient in magnesium.
If you are looking at incorporating a healthy, green, inexpensive food into your diet, visit your local Asian market and look for it dried, in sheets. You can also buy it online. Crush it up and add it to your salads. Sprinkle it into soups. Dried and crushed, it’s an excellent addition to baked potatoes, fish, marinara sauce and more.
Clearly, the possibilities for seaweed are endless.
I have discovered one of those possibilities with our Land & SEAsoning. It has dried nori powder and several other select seasonings. You can’t go wrong with this seasoning blend. It goes well with nearly everything. Get this stuff and it will open your world to a new bunch of flavors. To get this delicious and healthy SEAsoning, visit our store.
Kathleen’s Note:
You can also read more about seaweed on our site by clicking: Seaweed