What is so-called the longevity vegetable?

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 is so special about it?

Kelp is salty in nature and cold in nature, entering the liver, stomach, and kidney meridians. It has the effect of eliminating phlegm and promoting urination. Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" records 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 multiple functional factors with pharmacological effects such as laminarin, alginic acid, kelp polysaccharide, algin, fucoidan, and kelpine. As scientific research deepens, it has been found that kelp has a wide range of pharmacological activities.

Chicken and Kelp Wontons

Preventing and treating iodine-deficient goiter. Iodine is a raw material for synthesizing thyroxine. Iodine deficiency can cause hyperplasia and enlargement of thyroid tissue. Kelp is rich in iodine and helps prevent iodine-deficient goiter.

Anti-tumor. The laminarin in kelp can kill tumor cells by activating macrophages and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. It can also inhibit tumor growth by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, and can also directly inhibit tumor growth.

Anticoagulant. Fucoidan and fucoidan in kelp have anticoagulant effects.

Lowering blood pressure. The blood pressure-lowering effect of kelp may be related to the kelpine and taurine it contains. Patients with hypertension can often eat kelp.

Large Bone and Kelp Soup

Lowering blood lipids. In the intestines, kelp can carry the fat in chyme out of the body, so it has a good lipid-lowering effect.

Lowering blood sugar. Fucoidan 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: it can be blanched and served as a cold salad, stir-fried for a short time, or used to make soup.

Spicy Shredded Kelp

Four things to be careful about when eating kelp

Kelp should not be soaked for a long time: Do not soak kelp for a long time before eating. Soaking for about 6 hours is generally sufficient. Because if soaked for too long, the nutrients in kelp, such as water-soluble vitamins and inorganic salts, will also dissolve in the water, and the nutritional value will be reduced. If the kelp becomes soft and loses its toughness after soaking in water, it has spoiled and should not be eaten. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that kelp is cold in nature, so people with weak spleen and stomach should avoid eating it.

Don't eat kelp as a staple food: Do not eat kelp as a staple food for a long time, as this will lead to excessive iodine intake, which will affect your health. Moreover, kelp contains a certain amount of arsenic, and excessive intake of arsenic can cause poisoning. Therefore, before eating kelp, it should be rinsed with water to dissolve the arsenic.

Kelp with Vermicelli

Don't drink tea or eat fruits immediately after eating kelp: After eating kelp, do not drink tea (which contains tannic acid) or immediately eat astringent fruits (which contain plant acids) right away. Because kelp is rich in iron, both of the above foods will hinder the absorption of iron in the body.

Special populations should be cautious when eating kelp: Patients with hyperthyroidism should not eat kelp because it is rich in iodine, which can aggravate the condition. Pregnant and lactating women should not eat too much kelp. This is because the iodine in kelp can enter the fetus and infant through the blood circulation, causing thyroid dysfunction.

Cold-dressed Shredded Kelp