Baseline Seaweed Knowledge
What do I already know about seaweed?
I know that seaweed is a confounding sea vegetable, with many desirable nutrients, but that it is hardly used in cooking at home. I say it is confounding because I believe it should be easy to use, but that people generally have no idea what to do with it at home (including me!).
In order to start my exploration of seaweed, I think it helps to outline what I know and what I don’t know.
What I know
Seaweed for eating (I also know I like this)
Wakame seaweed salad as a starter at a sushi restaurant or as an add-in in a takeaway poke bowl
Nori seaweed used in a sushi roll or hand roll
Packaged seaweed snacks that are salty, crispy and a little greasy
Seaweed strips in miso soup
I’ve even made some of these at home. Evidence below.
Seaweed for other purposes
Vegan collagen protein is usually made from seaweed, aka marine collagen
Seaweed is high in B12, something vegan diets generally lack
Seaweed is high in iodine, another essential mineral that can be hard to find in the standard diet
Carragenan, a type of seaweed, is a natural thickener used in products like almond milk
Thick kombu seaweed can be used to make veggie stock or in cooking beans to take away the factor that makes you gassy
Seaweed oxygenates the oceans like the amazon rain forest does the atmosphere
Many natural skincare products contain derivatives of seaweed
Spirulina and algae are used as nutritional supplements, typically as powders added to water or smoothies
Spirulina can also be a bright blue color and used to make beautiful blue smoothie bowls for Instagram
What I don’t know (& want to find out)
Why is seaweed always dried or powdered - can I get it fresh? Would fresh be superior?
What are the differences between types of seaweed?
What are the nutritional differences between seaweed and land leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chard?
Can I forage for seaweed on my own? How and where would I get it and how do I know it’s safe to eat?
What are the tastiest and most nutritious ways of preparing seaweed in recipes?
How do I evaluate seaweed quality when shopping for it?
Historically, how have different cultures viewed and used seaweed that might be relevant today?
This blog will serve as a catalog for my findings as I wade through seaweed resources and make sense of my findings. I’ll also experiment with seaweed and share my learnings. I hope we all gain something from this experience!
