Seaweed for Newbies: A Guide to Edible Ocean Veggies
By Courtney Clay
How much do you know about edible seaweeds? Learn about the amazing health benefits of these nutrient-rich ocean veggies. Learn how to prepare & enjoy these savory, mineral-dense, alkaline, low-calorie foods, one easy step at a time! In this first article, I will introduce you to arame & wakame… and a delicious simple seaweed salad!
Introducing Sea Veggies!
Sea vegetables are the foundation of our food chain. They are exceptionally rich in minerals, especially iodine, calcium, magnesium & iron. Seaweeds are alkaline, which can balance the acidity of modern diets, and help us feel more relaxed and energetic, calmer and happier! Many seaweeds are also capable of removing heavy metals from our bodies, which is so essential for the times we are living in. They can balance our endocrine system, metabolism and hormones.
Seaweeds are also some of the few wild foods we can purchase in stores. Wild foods are almost always richer in nutrients than their cultivated (especially monocropped) counterparts. They can also add more variety to a healthy diet ~ when people improve their diets, they usually eliminate a whole bunch of foods, and are looking for new foods as replacements. Seaweeds are an excellent choice!
Meet Arame & Wakame
Arame & wakame are an easy place to start on your seaweed adventure! They are some of the tenderest and most mild-tasting seaweeds. They are both quick to prepare, and can be used as a topping or mixed in with most savory foods, including salads, soups, sandwiches, sweet potatoes, rice, and beans.
Arame is one of my favorites… so yummy! Just soak for 5-10 minutes in spring water, drain the water, and add it to food. It is high in fiber, iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and beta carotene.
Wakame is also delicious and tender, and is used in oriental medicine for purifying blood and strengthening digestion, skin, hair and reproductive organs. It is excellent for pregnant and nursing mothers, and contains plenty of calcium, iodine, thiamin & niacin. Wakame is one of the highest vegetarian sources of EPA, a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that is essential for our brain, eyes, nervous & cardiovascular systems. To use wakame, soak in plenty of spring water for 30 minutes, then drain the water and add to food.
Simple Seaweed Salad
Get to know these delicious seaweeds by making this simple seaweed salad! First, soak 1 cup of arame or wakame seaweed in 4 cups of spring water for 10-30 minutes. Drain the water out, then add the soaked seaweed to a large salad bowl. Add these ingredients and mix well:
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 large tomato (or 2 small ones), chopped
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 3 Tbs raw sauerkraut or kim-chi
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- optional yummy extras: 1 Tbs stone-ground mustard, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
Seaweeds can be a wonderful addition to any diet! Mineral-rich, alkaline wild foods that can help us feel our best on our health quest. Try the simple salad above to be introduced to a couple new ocean veggie friends, and discover how easy and delicious eating seaweed can be!
Meet Courtney Clay
Courtney Clay is an ecstatic woman, a truth finder, nature lover, adoring mama, wild food forager, raw chocolatier, and superfood & superherb elixir alchemist. Through the past 10 years, her communion with nature and fresh raw food has awakened her natural state of ecstasy, aliveness, passion, awe, and attunement to the subtleties of life. She is blessed to be the mother of a vibrant little boy named Cedar, and wife of her beloved Isaac. She writes a blog called Ecstatic Woman, on exploring life’s natural ecstasy through nature connection, ecstatic foods, conscious parenting and empowered living. http://ecstaticwoman.com/