Oh, you mean sushi, right? Well, not exactly. Yes, the dark green stuff wrapped around your sushi is seaweed, and yes it’s delicious, but there is a much larger world of seaweed out there to explore. Not yet part of mainstream American eating, seaweeds have been consumed by humans for thousands of years, and are a primary source of nutrition for many cultures. Sea vegetables, in all their forms, are abundant all over the world and are one of the most ancient life forms on earth.

There are many types of seaweeds available, each with distinct tastes, and with specific healing and nutritional properties. Virtually fat-free, seaweeds are low calorie foods loaded with minerals that are often difficult to find from other food sources. Sea water, and human blood contain many of the same minerals and in similar concentrations, and eating vegetables from the sea provides us these minerals in an easily absorbable manner. Sea veggies contain 10 – 20 times the minerals and vitamins of land vegetables, contain significant amounts of protein, and are sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Certain types of seaweeds have even been shown to remove heavy metals from the body.

In traditional Chinese healing, sea vegetables correspond to the winter season and to the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder and reproductive organs. The strengthening, balancing and cleansing properties of sea vegetables are known to help these organs as well as the hair, skin and nails. Sea vegetables (or seaweeds) provide a variety of minerals and vitamins, including calcium, iron and iodine, and can help balance hormone and thyroid levels in the body. Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings.

Vitamins
Seaweeds contain vitamins A, B, C, and E6, niacin, and folic acid. Many types of seaweeds also seem to contain vitamin B12, found almost exclusively from animal sources (although plants and animals are unable to synthesize B12; only certain bacteria are capable of B12 production).

Minerals
Mineral deficiency is on the rise, due primarily to the steady deterioration of the soil, and water quality in which our food grows. Non-organic growing methods deplete the soil of valuable nutrients, including minerals. Seaweeds are rich in calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, iron, and zinc.

Some more common types of seaweeds:

Arame
Hijiki
Kelp
Kombu
Wakame