Healthy And Protein-Rich Food ?

When it comes to plant-based food, many people immediately think of kale, salads and the latest trend: meat substitutes that look like meat, but are not.

Yet there is also a less conventional option that is gaining importance: seaweed. The green ribbons of plant material that constantly wash up on our beaches turn out to be a good example of superfood. Several companies are already marketing seaweed-based foods, which have turned out to be a great idea.

What are Superfoods?

We are talking about superfoods when foods have a positive effect on health due to their high number of good nutrients and antioxidants. Well-known examples of superfoods include hemp seed and wheatgrass. The health effects of superfoods can vary greatly. For example, some superfoods prevent cardiovascular disease, while other types of superfood help to achieve a healthy weight or to increase libido.

In any case, the Dutch Nutrition Center is clear about this: a single food does not make you healthy. Superfoods should always go hand in hand with a healthy eating and exercise pattern. A single food cannot provide all essential nutrients and sufficient exercise remains important.

Seaweed: good for people and the environment

Seaweed naturally contains a lot of vitamins. Vitamins B, C and E, among others, are found in large quantities, but it also contains up to ten times more minerals than land plants and it is rich in proteins and polyphenols. Because it is rich in proteins, it is a good meat substitute for vegetarians. Certain types of sea vegetables such as kombu, an edible type of brown seaweed that is mainly eaten in Northeast Asia, contain ergosterol.

The body converts this into vitamin D, the vitamin that is essential for, among other things, a balanced metabolism, the absorption of calcium and muscle recovery. Not only is seaweed good for our health, but it is also extremely good for the environment. Artificial fertilizers and pesticides are not necessary and seaweed also removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

There are a number of points of interest associated with eating seaweed. Due to its high concentration of nutrients, it can interact with certain medications. For people who use blood thinners or who have a thyroid disorder, it is recommended to first talk to the doctor. At the same time, some types of seaweed contain so much iodine that it is not recommended to eat it more than three times a week.

Healthy cooking with seaweed

Seaweed also appears to be very easy to use in the daily kitchen. How you do that differs per type of seaweed. Nori, a red seaweed, is used roasted and dried. It is available in the form of sheets that you use when making sushi. The brown seaweed wakame is always cooked first. Chuka wakame, a popular salad from Japanese cuisine, is a good idea.

Another tasty example: a shrimp burger with sea lettuce. Sea spaghetti (belt weed) is also definitely worth a try. Never use sea spaghetti as a one-to-one substitute for spaghetti, as it is high in minerals. For example, choose a combination of sea spaghetti and zucchini strings.