Why you should eat seaweed in the fall: tips and unusual recipes from an expert

Seaweed is an excellent source of an essential element for the body - iodine. It is the easiest to prepare and a very affordable and healthy product that can be eaten by almost everyone. Especially in the fall and winter, when the body needs vitamins and minerals so much.

Nutritionist Tetiana Lakusta shared on Instagram all the beneficial properties of seaweed, as well as how to eat it properly, what to cook, and most importantly, how much you can eat in a day and who should give it up.

The specialist emphasized that the daily iodine requirement for an adult is 150 mcg.

"The composition of iodine depends on the place where the algae grew," the expert added.

Approximate content by species (dried):

• Nori - 37 mcg/g
• Wakame - 139 mcg/g

• Kombu - 2523 mcg/g
• Kelp - 160-800 mcg/g

What is rich and useful in seaweed?

"They are rich in the content of protein-tyrosine, which is the main building block of thyroid hormones. They contain ALL essential amino acids," explains the nutritionist.

The expert also added that algae contain alginates, which reduce stomach acidity and stimulate bile secretion in a stagnant gallbladder.

Fucoxanthin is a marine nutraceutical, a carotenoid.

"An excellent study on its effects on the body showed that it can help fight obesity and improve blood lipids. On top of that, anti-oncogene is an antioxidant. There's nothing to think about - you just have to eat it!" says the expert.

Can everyone eat seaweed and how much is safe?

"The possible danger is an overdose of iodine. But when you boil kelp (for 15 minutes), about 90% of the iodine is lost with the broth. The daily maximum dose of iodine is 1100 mcg, so don't worry about an overdose," the nutritionist explains.

How to cook it properly?

"All you have to do is soak dry cabbage for 5-7 minutes, drain it, boil it in boiling water for up to 15 minutes, and repeat the whole process again," the expert advises.

The nutritionist offered several options for delicious seaweed dressings:

1. Chopped garlic + sesame paste + a few spoons of water

2. Apple cider vinegar + mustard + olive oil

3. Organic soy sauce (without glutamate) + balsamic vinegar

How to cook kelp deliciously - recipes from Tetiana Lakusta

1. Nori - chips

Ingredients:

• nori - sheet
• olive oil - 1-2 tbsp
• salt - a pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Brush the nori with oil, sprinkle with salt, put in the oven for 2-3 minutes at 180 C.

2. Then cut and eat.

2. Seaweed caviar ⠀

Ingredients:

• chia seeds - 1 tbsp.
• water - 4 tbsp
• soy sauce - to taste
• any spices - to taste
• flaxseed oil - 1 tbsp. l.

Method of preparation:

1. Pour hot water over the seeds, stir well, cover, leave for 20-30 minutes.

2. During this time, stir 1-2 times with a spoon to evenly absorb moisture. The seeds will increase several times and become a thick mass.

3. Afterwards, grind the algae in a coffee grinder or, in the case of burrowing, you can cut it very finely with scissors.

4. Add the seaweed, spices, soy sauce, flaxseed oil to the chia and you can eat.