Sea Vegetables

Seaweeds, or sea vegetables, have been a diet staple of maritime cultures for centuries. With salty, savoury flavours and healthy nutrient contents, sea vegetables are a natural addition to a healthy diet.

Seaweeds are a rich source of iodine, important for regulating body metabolism. They also contain iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, sea veggies contain B vitamins that support energy production, and folate, associated with a lower risk of colon cancer.

Salty flavoured dulse flakes make an excellent table salt alternative. One teaspoon (5 mL) of these seaweed flakes contains only 29 mg of sodium, while the same amount of table salt contains 1,760 mg and 1 tsp (5 mL) of soy sauce contains 313 mg. All the same, those on restricted-sodium diets should exercise caution with sea vegetables.

A variety of seaweeds can be found at health food stores. Most are packaged in dry form and once opened should be stored in an airtight container, where they will keep for several months.

Recipes

• Basic Kombu Stock
• Pickled Kombu with Ginger
• Soba Noodles
• Arame, Shiitake, and Pea Risotto
• Wakame and Spring Vegetable Coleslaw