Introduction: Among the many praises, "longevity vegetable" should be the highest honor for a vegetable. Kelp, a common food on the dining table, has been given this title since ancient times. What makes it so special?
Kelp is salty and cold in nature, and it affects the liver, stomach, and kidney meridians. It has the effect of resolving phlegm and promoting urination. In Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica," it is recorded that kelp "treats edema and goiter, with the same effect as seaweed." Modern research shows that kelp contains essential nutrients for the human body such as carotene, B vitamins, and calcium and iron; kelp contains various functional factors with pharmacological effects such as laminarin, alginic acid, fucoidan, algin, fucan, and laminine. As scientific research deepens, it has been found that kelp has a wide range of pharmacological activities.
Cold-dressed Shredded Kelp
Preventing iodine-deficient goiter. Iodine is a raw material for synthesizing thyroid hormones. Iodine deficiency can cause hyperplasia and enlargement of thyroid tissue. Kelp is rich in iodine and helps prevent iodine-deficient goiter.
Anti-tumor. The fucoidan in kelp can kill tumor cells by activating macrophages and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, and it can also inhibit tumor growth by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, and directly inhibit tumor growth.
Anticoagulant. Both fucoidan and fucan in kelp have anticoagulant effects.
Lowering blood pressure. The blood pressure-lowering effect of kelp may be related to the laminine and taurine it contains. Patients with hypertension can often eat kelp.
Chicken and Kelp Wontons
Lowering blood lipids. In the intestines, kelp can carry the fat in chyme out of the body, thus having a good effect on lowering blood lipids.
Lowering blood sugar. Fucan in kelp is a good dietary fiber. Eating kelp can delay gastric emptying and the time for food to pass through the small intestine, which helps control blood sugar.
Improving immunity. Kelp polysaccharide is an immunomodulator. Some studies have shown that kelp polysaccharide can promote the immune function of normal and immunocompromised mice.
Anti-radiation. The active substances in kelp can prevent the absorption of various radioactive elements and harmful heavy metals, or form insoluble compounds to be excreted from the body.
Kelp can be prepared in various ways, such as being blanched and then served cold-dressed, stir-fried briefly for a short time, or used to make soup.
Twisted Kelp and Pork Rib Soup