Seaweed has been a dietary staple in sure seaside international locations for hundreds of years. Extra not too long ago, it’s come into the highlight stateside as a dietary powerhouse — it’s loaded with fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, nutritional vitamins and phytonutrients. Seaweed is available in many types, with maybe essentially the most ubiquitous being nori, the tasty, paper-thin sheets that be a part of collectively maki sushi rolls and hand rolls.
One selection that’s much less frequent however is presently discovering its manner into extra meals and drinks is sea moss. Which begs the query:
WHAT IS SEA MOSS?
Sea moss, which additionally goes by the colloquial title Irish moss and the scientific title Chondrus crispus, is a sort of purple algae seaweed that predominantly grows alongside the northern Atlantic coasts of the USA and Europe. It’s typically used to make carrageenan, a typical thickening agent in nut milks, yogurt and soup. But it surely can be consumed by itself, generally soaked to melt it, different instances dried or powdered. In Eire and Scotland, sea moss is used to make a sweetened milk-based drink, and others add it to smoothies for a fast dietary punch.
POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF SEA MOSS
“This number of seaweed is especially wealthy in minerals and antioxidants,” says Amy Goodson, MS, RD. “It will possibly assist stimulate wholesome digestion and relieve the signs of chilly and flu.” She additionally notes that sea moss is an effective supply of potassium chloride, a nutrient which helps to dissolve irritation and phlegm within the mucous membranes, which might trigger congestion. It’s additionally excessive in iron, zinc and magnesium.
One promising Canadian examine confirmed sea moss may play a neuroprotective function in stopping Parkinson’s illness. The authors discovered that, aside from its utility as a purposeful meals, Chondrus crispus could also be used as an anti-neurodegenerative drug inhumans.
In response to the 2017 guide “Vitamin and Useful Meals for Wholesome Getting older,” sea moss encourages cell development and metabolism and protects the pores and skin. Extra particularly, “it releases arginine and citrulline, amino acids which might be essential sources of nitrogen and important for protein and collagen synthesis.” This one-two punch acts as a pores and skin protector towards harsh climate and air pollution, and may additionally help with wound therapeutic.
One other examine appeared on the prebiotic results of supplementing a food plan with sea moss, discovering it will possibly positively affect intestine microbial communities, total intestine well being and the immune system.
Anecdotally, customers and pure well being meals corporations declare sea moss can enhance vitality and increase psychological readability. Nevertheless, Goodson factors out that analysis on sea moss is comparatively missing, particularly in comparison with different extra in style seaweeds, so it’s greatest to take a couple of of the purported claims with a grain of salt — a minimum of for now.
HOW TO ADD SEA MOSS TO YOUR DIET
If you wish to carry some sea moss into your life, it’s simple sufficient to seek out on-line and at well being meals shops. When packaged, it sometimes is available in powdered kind, which makes it a handy addition to meals and drinks. Or mix it with water or milk for a standard Irish tea.
In case you’d like to begin with the uncooked ingredient, you simply want to offer it a little bit further consideration. “Step one is to soak it,” says Goodson. “It can turn out to be a gelatin-like substance that may then be utilized in smoothies and soups.” Attempt it for your self, and also you’ll rapidly fortify your food plan with an additional sprint of nutritional vitamins and minerals.
