Try seaweed: It’s nutritious and flavorful

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

A friend recently tried seaweed and said she saw improvements in her health. Being interested in trying it for years, I recently took the plunge.

Seaweeds are some of the most nutritionally complete foods on the planet, researchers at Bastyr University said in a statement. They’re high in potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, iodine, and selenium. Some seaweeds, such as nori, are also rich in B vitamins, including vitamin B12. Seaweeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Here are some suggested ways for using seaweed in your diet:

• Crush dried nori, which usually comes in sheets, and sprinkle it on eggs, pasta, fish, and soups.

• Use dulse as a salt substitute in soups and stews.

• Eat seaweed with sushi, tofu, miso soup, salads, vegetable stews and stir-fries, and plates of greens.

• Add spirulina or blue/green algae to your green smoothies or fruit smoothies.

• Try kale with hijiki in a soy-garlic-ginger sauce. I’ve tried this. It’s tasty.

To learn about the different types of seaweed, see “Seaweed: Jewels of the Sea.”