Introduction: Among the many praises, "longevity vegetable" should be the highest accolade for a vegetable. Kelp, a common food on the dining table, has been given this title since ancient times. What's so special about it?
Kelp is salty in nature and cold in property, entering 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 effects as kelp algae." Modern research shows that kelp contains essential nutrients for the human body such as carotene, B vitamins, and calcium and iron; it also contains various functional factors with pharmacological effects, such as laminarin, kelp氨酸, fucoidan, alginic acid, fucose polysaccharides, and laminine. As scientific research deepens, people have discovered that kelp has a wide range of pharmacological activities.
Prevention and treatment of iodine-deficient goiter. Iodine is a raw material for the synthesis of 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. 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 directly inhibit tumor growth.
Braised Kelp
Anticoagulant. Fucoidan and fucose polysaccharides 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.
Lowering blood lipids. In the intestines, kelp can carry the fat in chyme out of the body, thus having a good lipid-lowering effect.
Lowering blood sugar. Fucose polysaccharide 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. 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.
Coix Seed and Kelp Pork Bone Soup
Four things to be careful about when eating kelp
Do not soak kelp 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 the kelp, such as water-soluble vitamins and inorganic salts, will also dissolve in the water, reducing its nutritional value. If the soaked kelp becomes mushy and loses its toughness, it has spoiled and should not be eaten. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that kelp is cold in nature, so people with a weak spleen and stomach should avoid it.
Don't treat 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 can 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.
Don't drink tea or eat fruit immediately after eating kelp: After eating kelp, do not drink tea immediately (tea contains tannic acid) or eat sour fruits (sour fruits contain plant acids) right away. Because kelp is rich in iron, both of these 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 of its high iodine content, 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's body through the bloodstream, causing thyroid dysfunction.
Kelp and Potato Shreds