Seaweed foods include: nori, kelp, sea lettuce, wakame, etc. Modern science has proven that seaweed contains essential proteins, fats, carbohydrates, various vitamins, and minerals for the human body. Because seaweed vegetables have few pests and diseases, they have less chance of being polluted by pesticides, making them truly green food. Moreover, they contain plant compounds not found in land vegetables. Therefore, regular consumption of seaweed foods has good health benefits.
Seaweed contains essential fatty acids for the human body, such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid, many of which are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which is very beneficial for preventing and treating arteriosclerosis and cerebral thrombosis. Moreover, these fatty acids are present in all types of seaweed, and in some varieties with higher content, they can account for 15% to 20% of the total fatty acids.
Seaweed contains relatively rich algal polysaccharides. The algin sulfate extracted from it has the effect of lowering cholesterol; the selenium element contained in seaweed, according to research, has a protective effect on the heart. German scientists found that patients with coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction have much less selenium in their bodies than healthy people. People living in low-selenium areas have three times more deaths from heart disease than those in selenium-rich areas. American scientists found that in Colorado, where people have the habit of eating selenium-containing seaweed, the number of deaths from heart disease is only one-fifth of that in Washington State. China's famous Keshan disease is also caused by selenium deficiency.
Recently, Japanese scientists, while analyzing the causes of breast cancer, found that the lower incidence of breast cancer among Japanese women is related to their dietary habit of eating seaweed. Some people conducted anti-tumor experiments with more than 10 types of edible seaweed from the sea of Japan. The results showed that 6 types of edible seaweed have anti-leukemia effects, and the main component is alginic acid.
In addition, the alginic acid contained in seaweed has the effect of lowering blood pressure, and seaweed fiber has the function of preventing and treating constipation and reducing the accumulation of harmful substances. Seaweed is mostly alkaline, which helps to improve the acidic constitution of modern people, strengthen the body's immune function, and enhance disease resistance. Due to physiological reasons, women often suffer from iron-deficiency anemia. Eating more seaweed can effectively supplement iron. Experts believe that iodine deficiency can cause goiter and also induce thyroid cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine fibroids, etc. Therefore, it is recommended that women should supplement iodine in a timely manner and eat more seaweed foods.
Seaweed foods contain protein and little fat, and have a special weight-loss effect. In addition, seaweed is rich in methionine and cysteine. If the hair, especially women's hair, lacks these two amino acids, it will become brittle, split, and lose its luster. Therefore, eating seaweed foods regularly can also make dry skin shiny, and improve sebum secretion for oily skin. Seaweed is rich in vitamins, which can maintain the healthy growth of epithelial tissue and reduce pigmentation spots. In addition, seaweed can selectively remove heavy metal carcinogens such as mercury, cadmium, and lead.