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Seaweed may not be the most appetizing snack at first glance, but taking a deeper look may convince some to give it a try. Not only is seaweed, also called kelp, a plentiful vegetable, but its health benefits are through the roof. For example, it has more Vitamin C than oranges, and is one of the richest plant sources of calcium existing today. Seaweed has recently surged in popularity in the US and it is becoming a trend to include it in your daily diet.

One popular way to eat seaweed is the roasted seaweed snack, consisting of little roasted seaweed squares that are prepared with sea salt and olive oil. Other varieties include seaweed chips, using it in a wrap, kelp noodles, salad, preparing it in a soup, and of course, sushi. Another form is dulse, a red seaweed that grows off the coast of Ireland and Maine, which has a reputation of looking and tasting like bacon.

“The seaweed dulse is a fat free food that is rich in vitamin B6, dietary and soluble fiber, protein, iodine and potassium. It has one of the highest iron content of any sea vegetable,” said Bob Nesbitt, Health Coach Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach (CTNC).

On a medical level, it contains natural iodine which helps manage thyroid function. Seaweed also has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, and is used in many home remedy medicines. It can prevent allergies and infections, type two diabetes, lowers blood pressure and normalizes cholesterol levels. Eating seaweed increases the amount of endorphin chemicals in your brain, improves liver function, stabilizes blood sugar, and gives a soft glow to your skin.

“Iodine deficiency has on-going research connected to many diseases,” said Health Coach CTNC Rene Deal.

Seaweed requires no fresh water or fertilizer, making it one of the most sustainable and nutritious crops in the world. It grows in salt water absorbing dissolved nitrogen, phosphorous, and carbon dioxide directly from the sea. Seaweed has a high mineral content, especially: iodine, calcium, iron, and magnesium, and it contains up to 70 percent protein content. Seaweed has many noticeable heath benefits, including: soft healthy hair, improvement in memory, clear skin, good eyesight, good oral hygiene and it improves the immune system.

Seaweed does wonders environmentally. Kelp can grow as much as three-quarters of an inch a day bringing in approximately 30-60 tons a year, about the same per-acre yield as a potato farmer. As we run out of room destroying forests for land-based agriculture, delving into our extensive sea space for food seems like a fantastic plan. At this rate oceans could be fish-less by 2025, but seaweed farming can rehabilitate the ocean’s threatened ecosystems and help to revive coastal economies. Seaweed is a potential source of human food, biofuel and animal feed. Some hope to one day see this growing crop take the place of corn and soy as a healthier alternative to a filler food.

“Seaweed is a very sustainable resource. It requires no effort, no farmer or factory to grow and it regenerates on it’s own. In a time of global warming and dwindling natural resources, it kind of becomes a SUPER-superfood!” said Heath Coach CTNC Christina Harder Neuner.

Seaweed is climbing the ranks in nutrients, benefits as well as popularity. All of the seaweed varieties mentioned above can be purchased at local stores such as Kowalski’s and the CoOp. Do not be fooled by this appearance, as more people like seaweed than one would think. No matter what the official title is, seaweed obviously has many nutritional benefits, medical purposes and environmental advancements. This ever growing green really is one for the books.