Sea vegetables, a.k.a. seaweed, is a whole category of vegetables available on Earth for humans to ingest that is grossly underutilized in the American diet. Many Americans have eaten nori, which is the deep green sheets of seaweed (but actually classified as a red seaweed) that wraps sushi rolls, and is now readily available packaged as dried and seasoned sheets, usually with added salt and oil. But there are many other kinds of seaweed readily available in most grocery stores sold dried and ready to add to your cooking that will enhance the flavors, add complexity to the taste, and most importantly boost the nutritional content of the meal.

There Are Over 15,000 Varieties Of Seaweed

Seaweeds are divided into three groups according to their color: green, red and brown. The color difference is determined by the amount of chlorophyll contained in the seaweed. Green seaweed, like sea lettuce, grows near the surface of the water where sunlight is the greatest; it has the highest amount of chlorophyll, so lots of photosynthesis (the process of turning sunlight into energy) can take place. Brown seaweeds like bladderwrack and kelp grow 5 to 7 feet under the surface in sub-tidal areas. Red seaweed like dulse, Irish moss, and nori grow several hundred feet deep.

Seaweed contains more vitamins (13), minerals (60), amino acids (23), and salts than any other land vegetable! All varieties are rich in the spectrum of B vitamins, including B12, which is rare to find in plants. Seaweed also has vitamin A and vitamin C, with some varieties having more vitamin C than an orange! It also supplies vitamin D for a healthy nervous system, healing, and bone health, vitamin E for cardiovascular health, and vitamin K for energy production and clotting.

Seaweed contains a plethora of minerals because it accumulates minerals from the sea and concentrates them into its structure. With an abundance of natural iodine — over 1000 times more than any land plant — it helps to promote healthy thyroid function, and detoxify radioactive elements, heavy metals, and free radicals.

Other minerals found in seaweed include chromium, copper, iron (sea lettuce has 25 times the iron of beef by weight), lithium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc, among others. It also contains a nondairy, but bioavailable source of calcium to improve bone health and strengthen hair, teeth and nails.

Seaweed contains fucoidan, which stimulates the immune system, as well as many antioxidants that help counteract the damaging oxidative processes in the body that contribute to disease. It is packed with essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, including the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. In addition, it contains antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-parasitic properties to help boost immunity and fight infection. Wow! Who knew?!

To Buy Or To Gather?

Seaweed can be gathered from the coast if the water is clean and free of heavy metal, radioactivity, and bacterial contamination. It is best done in the spring and summer after a storm at low tide when fresh varieties come detached but have not yet started to lose their color.

It takes 10 pounds of fresh seaweed to produce 1 pound of dried seaweed.

The cooler waters off the coast of Maine and Canada and the waters off California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska provide a wealth of variety that changes with the seasons, providing an abundance of nutrients. Sea lettuce, Irish moss, Atlantic kelp, alaria, and bladderwrack can all be found off the eastern seaboard. Bull kelp, arame, kombu, wakame, sea lettuce, and bladderwrack are found off the western coast.

When collected fresh, it should be rinsed and cleaned in sea water (not fresh water) and stored immediately in a cooler. It can be eaten fresh right away, stored in the refrigerator and used within a few days, or dried for a much longer shelf life. To dry fresh seaweed, leave to air dry for about a day in the sun and breeze, or bake in single layers in the oven at 150 – 250 degrees F until dry and crisp; time will vary depending on the thickness. After cooling, dried seaweed can be stored in an air tight container.

But the easiest way to start incorporating sea vegetables into your diet is to buy prepackaged dried seaweed from the grocery store or online. It can also be bought online. Be sure to choose local, reputable sources.

Dried seaweed can be directly added to any soup or rehydrated by soaking in warm water, and then added to a stir-fry or salad. Dulce flakes come in a small spice-like container and can be used like salt to enhance the flavor of any dish while adding vital nutrients.

Kinds Of Seaweed

BROWN SEAWEED

Kombu Kelp: Dried kombu can be added to beans (legumes) while soaking or cooking to aid in their digestibility (producing less gas), as it contains glycemic acid that acts as a tenderizer. Kombu can also be eaten fresh or dried, added to a vegetable dish, wrapped around fish, or used in soups.

Alaria (Atlantic) or Wakame (Pacific): This can be eaten fresh or dried in soups, casseroles, added to a whole grain like brown rice, or used in stir-fries. I like to add this one to miso soups.

Arame: The dried form needs to be soaked first to soften, then added to stir-fries, scrambles, bean, or grains.

Bladderwrack: This seaweed is used to makes mineral rich teas.

RED SEAWEED

Dulce: Cooks up quickly and can used like spinach, added to any dish, or dried and eaten like chips. It can also be found in flakes or ground and used as a seasoning.

Irish moss: Used as a thickener for stews, gravies, jellies, and jams.

Nori: Sold in sheets used to wrap sushi and rice, or crumbled into salads, stir-fries, or vegetable dishes.

GREEN SEAWEED

Sea Lettuce: Can be eaten fresh with lemon in a seaweed salad or roasted and crumbled into a salad, grain or vegetable dish, or made into a tea.

Cooking With Sea Vegetables

Bladderwrack Tea 

Simmer a few pieces of dried bladderwrack in fresh water for 5 minutes. Add fresh grated ginger for extra flavoring. Strain, add honey as a sweetener if desired, and enjoy!

Cashew and Wakame Dressing 

1/3 cup cashews

1/2 avocado

1/4 cup dried wakame

1 T miso paste

1 T tahini

1 clove garlic

Blend at high speed. Add sea salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste. Drizzle over any salad or veggie dish.

Stir-Fry Sea Greens 

1 T grated ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch scallions, sliced

1 cup crushed peanuts

1 large bunch bok choy

2 carrots sliced

1 zucchini sliced

1/2 cup dried Kombu, rehydrated and chopped

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 T tamari

2 T rice vinegar

sea salt to taste

Heat ginger, garlic, scallions and peanuts over medium high heat with some veggie broth for half a minute. Add chopped bok choy, carrots, zucchini and toss for 2 minutes. Add kombu and cook until tender. In a bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, tamari, rice vinegar and salt. Add to the cooking vegetables. Serve over brown rice or other whole grain.

Sandra Musial, MD, is a Rhode Island physician specializing in food as medicine. A co-founder of Plant Docs, she is dedicated to preserving health and reversing lifestyle-related chronic disease through whole, plant-based nutrition. 

Find holistic Meditation practitioners in the Spirit of Change online Alternative Health Directory.

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