If you’ve only experienced seaweed in sushi, it may seem like a foreign concept, but in many Eastern cultures, seaweed is a dietary staple. It's no surprise though that seaweed is full of health benefits that could change your life.
Packed with an impressive lineup of vitamins and minerals, seaweed offers numerous health benefits that can significantly enhance your well-being.
Here are our top 8 benefits of seaweed:
1. Support Thyroid Function
Thyroid issues are becoming more common worldwide, with many people relying on synthetic thyroid medications and being diagnosed with conditions like Hashimoto's. Incorporating seaweed into your diet can help support your thyroid health and may encourage your body to naturally boost its own T3 levels.
By providing essential nutrients like iodine, which is necessary for thyroid hormone production, seaweed can help improve thyroid function and promote better overall health.
Seaweed varieties of Kombu and Wakame are amazing for regulating your metabolism, increasing energy levels, and maintaining hormonal balance.
2. Normalize Hormones with Iodine
Iodine deficiency is quite common and it can impact how our brain regulates hormone levels. By adding more seaweed to your diet, you can increase your iodine intake, which supports thyroid health and helps maintain overall hormonal balance, including hormones like estrogen and estradiol.
Kombu contains the highest iodine content in the ocean, even more than seafood. Dulse comes in second highest iodine content of seaweed varieties and is also high in Vitamin A.
3. Relieve Arthritis Symptoms
There is a natural way to decrease the inflammation in your body. Seaweed’s rich nutrient profile gives us omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and essential minerals that contain anti-inflammatory compounds to help reduce muscle stiffness from arthritis, rheumatism, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The high fiber content in seaweed supports gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome can help modulate immune responses and reduce systemic inflammation, which may alleviate arthritis symptoms.
Consuming seaweed as part of a balanced diet can be helpful for joint lubrication and reduce friction between joints. We recommend Kombu and Bladderwrack to help ease pain and improve mobility.
Always consult with a healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet or starting new supplements, especially if you have a chronic condition like arthritis.
4. Natural Decongestant
Is that common cold and sinus drainage driving you crazy? Irish Moss is known for its mucilaginous properties, meaning it forms a gel-like substance that can soothe irritated mucous membranes and help break down mucus. Thinner mucus is easier to expel from the body, reducing congestion in the nasal passages, throat, and chest.
A robust immune system can better combat infections that cause congestion, such as colds and sinus infections. The antioxidants found in seaweed, such as vitamin E and carotenoids, help protect cells from oxidative stress and support overall respiratory health. Reduced oxidative stress can help prevent and alleviate inflammation-related congestion.
Making sea moss gel with Irish Moss will help reduce mucus production and bring you back to normal in no time!
5. High Protein Content
Seaweed is generally high in protein, making it an excellent addition to a vegetarian diet to help maintain adequate protein levels. Incorporating seaweed into your dishes can help you feel fuller for longer, reducing the temptation to reach for high-carbohydrate foods.
Protein plays a crucial role in supporting the immune system. Amino acids are essential for the production and repair of immune cells. Adequate protein intake is necessary for the synthesis of cytokines and other signaling molecules that regulate immune responses.
Wakame, Kombu, Nori, and Dulse have the highest protein content of seaweed varieties. By incorporating these into your diet, you can leverage their protein content to support these critical aspects of immune function, helping to keep your immune system strong and effective.
6. Stimulate Hair Growth
Since iodine is essential for thyroid health, it’s no surprise that it helps regulate critical hair growth hormones. If you have had any trouble with your hair growing or your hair thinning, seaweed can help remedy it by optimizing thyroid function.
Also, the abundance of vitamins like A, C, E, and minerals like zinc and iron is nourishing to the scalp and hair follicles. Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants protect against damage and inflammation, making your hair resilient and less prone to breakage.
Regular consumption of seaweeds like Irish Moss, Bladderwrack, and Wakame can significantly boost hair growth, while strengthening the hair strands to give you that thick, healthy shine you see in the magazines.
7. Balance Electrolyte Minerals
Keep your electrolytes in check with seaweed. Electrolytes are vital for survival, ensuring other nutrients are effectively transported throughout the body. Seaweed offers a natural, whole-food source of electrolytes, as opposed to processed supplements.
The minerals in seaweed are highly bioavailable, meaning they are easily absorbed and utilized by the body. Nori has the highest calcium content among seaweeds. Various seaweeds, including Kelp and Dulse, are rich in magnesium and potassium.
By maintaining electrolyte balance, seaweed helps support proper hydration, especially important for athletes and individuals with active lifestyles.
8. Remove Heavy Metals
Seaweed’s ability to bind to heavy metals makes it a key ingredient in the Medical Medium’s Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie. Dulse works synergistically with other detoxifying ingredients like wild blueberries, cilantro, spirulina, and barley grass juice powder to support the removal of heavy metals in the body.
Once bound to the heavy metals, Dulse helps carry them through the digestive system and out of the body via the stool. The fiber content in Dulse can aid in digestive health, ensuring that bound heavy metals are efficiently moved through the digestive tract and eliminated.
Living in today's world, we are exposed to more environmental heavy metals that should not be in our bodies at high levels, such as Aluminum and Mercury. For effective detoxification, the Medical Medium recommends consuming the smoothie daily. Consistent intake helps to gradually reduce the body’s heavy metal burden over time.
For tips on how to use seaweed in your dishes, check out our recipes!
Next time you’re in the kitchen, use seaweed as you would any spice or herb and add it to your soups, salads, and sauces. A little goes a long way! Use only ½ to 1 tsp per day for optimum benefits.