This image shows a serving of seaweed crackers. Credit: Birgitte Svennevig/SDU
Adding seaweed to processed foods such as frozen pizzas, hot dogs and dried pasta will reduce cardiovascular diseases, concludes a new scientific article. One suggestion is to replace 5% of the flour in pizza dough with dried and granulated seaweed. Many seaweed species have a variety of health benefits. They contain, among other things, beneficial proteins, antioxidants, minerals, trace elements, dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Seaweed’s content of potassium salts does not led to high blood pressure – unlike the sodium salts, typically encountered in the processed food. An important feature is also that the seaweed has umami – the fifth basic taste, which is known to promote satiety and hence regulate food intake in addition to reduce the craving for salt, sugar and fat.
“It is difficult to determine how much seaweed a person should consume to benefit from its good qualities. 5-10 grams of dried seaweed per day is my estimate,” says Professor Mouritsen. Seaweed should be added fast food, thus making this type of food healthier. It can even enhance the flavor of the food. Eg dried and granulated seaweed can replace some of the flour when producing dry pasta, bread, pizza, snack bars, etc. It is also possible to add seaweed to meat products and thereby provide the consumer with an increased intake of dietary fiber and antioxidants – or maybe the aim is lower cholesterol levels.
In the article Professor Mouritsen et al describe a study in which a group of overweight but otherwise healthy men were asked to taste bread with added dried seaweed from the species Ascophyllum nosodum. The men’s reaction was that the bread tasted acceptable as long as the seaweed content was kept under 4%. By eating bread containing 4% of dried seaweed the overweight men ingested more dietary fiber (4.5 g more fiber/100 g) than when they ate the control whole-meal bread. Another effect was that they consumed 16.4% less energy in the 24 hr period after eating the seaweed enriched bread.
HOW TO GET THE HEALTH BENEFITS FROM SEAWEED
~Seaweed contains only few calories, but is still rich in rich in essential amino acids, dietary fibers, minerals, trace elements, vitamins and polyunsaturated fats.
~You can easily add up to 5% dried seaweed to a dough without losing its ability to raise.
~Dried seaweed can be stored for months or years without loss of flavor and nutritional value.
~Dried seaweed can be added to food as powder, granulate or pieces in pastries, egg dishes, mashed potatoes, dressings, or sprinkled on vegetables or fish dishes.
~Powders and granulates can be used as a salt substitute.
~Hijiki contains arsenic, which is carcinogenic and therefore some national food authorities recommend that you do not eat it. Despite these warnings, you can buy dried hijiki in many stores.
~Some species may contain large amounts of iodine.
~Never eat seaweed that is washed up on the beach http://sdu.dk/en/Om_SDU/Fakulteterne/Naturvidenskab/Nyheder/2015_11_20_junktang
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