Japan: Sea veggies among nature's finest foods

Sea vegetables, forms of algae that range from seaweed to kelp, are one of nature's most valuable foods. Archaeological evidence suggests that Japanese cultures have been consuming them for more than 10,000 years. And many other countries located by the sea have relied upon sea vegetables for nutritional sustenance, as well as medicinal and beauty purposes, for centuries. Today, scientists are interested in their health benefits. Thousands of different sea vegetables have been identified, classified into categories based on the colors brown, red, or green. Popular types include kelp, nori (seaweed,) arame (type of kelp) kombu (a brown kelp), and sea palm. Although researchers don't know as much about sea vegetables as they do about those grown on land, new facts are trickling in. Depending on the type, sea vegetables may possess the following attributes naturally low in calories and fat; contain up to 47 percent protein; many are rich in vitamins A, the B group (includes thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, B12, and folic acid,) C, D, E, and K; typically contain minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

Brown sea vegetables, such as kelp and arame, are very high in the mineral iodine (¼ cup of kelp contains 278 percent DV.) While they don't appear to contain the same polyphenol antioxidants found in terrestrial vegetables, some have other antioxidant compounds, such as alkaloids and phlorotannins. They contain fucoidans, starch-like molecules that appear to have anti-inflammatory and anti-viral benefits.

Nutritional bounty. Due to the harsh environment in which they grow, sea vegetables produce interesting bioactive compounds, according to a 2011 review of almost 100 scientific studies in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Peptides derived from sea vegetables appear to have blood-pressure-lowering effects. A study published in the August 2011 Nutrition Journal revealed that regular seaweed intake among Japanese children was linked with a reduction in blood pressure. Sea-worthy taste. Though their taste is rather distinctive--and acquired--sea vegetables are versatile. They're typically harvested and sun-dried or pickled, making them easy to slice into nearly any dish. Sea vegetables are becoming more widely available in supermarkets and specialty stores.

Source: chicagotribune.com