Under The Sea & Totally Delicious!,
By Monica McCarthy
For those of us not raised on Asian-inspired meals, sea vegetables can seem like an odd source for nutrients. However, sea vegetables are loaded with minerals. They are also excellent sources of iodine, vitamin B6 and B12, and magnesium.
Awesome right? Well, that’s not all (wow- I sound like an infomercial), sea vegetables contain the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk and just as much iron as red meat. They are even considered to be one of the best sources of naturally occurring electrolytes out there! *
To quote actress Alicia Silverstone in her best-selling book The Kind Diet:
Sea vegetables are anti-inflammatory, antiviral, reduce blood pressure, and make for truly badass skin, hair, and nails.
Need some ideas for adding these nutrient knock-outs into your meals?
Here are some ideas to start with:
- Arame: Seaweed Salad
- Nori: Wrap leftover rice with your favorite vegetables in sheets of nori. Or chop it up and add to your favorite salad.
- Wakame: soaked wakame makes for a delicious raw seaweed salad
- Kelp: kelp can also be added to soups and stews, or pan fried and made into chips.
- Hijiki: combine soaked hijiki with shredded vegetables, such as carrots, then add a little grated fresh ginger, olive oil and tamari.