4 reasons why you may want seaweed in your diet

Remarkably versatile and tasty, seaweed can be used in a broad spectrum of ways. Here's some reasons why you should add seaweed to your diet.

• There are more than 2,500 varieties of seaweed.
• What we call "seaweed" includes everything from the algae to kelp and other marine plants.
• In general, seaweed is classified according to its colour — brown, red, green and blue-green.

• Seaweed is used around the world to enhance flavours in a variety of dishes.
• Seaweed is perhaps most commonly added to salads, soups and meat and seafood dishes.
• Kombu, a type of kelp, is used to flavour soup stocks.
• Wakame, another type of kelp, is used in Japanese soups and stir-fries.
• Laver, a red algae called nori by the Japanese, is used by the Irish and Welsh to make flat cakes.
• The Scots use a seaweed called dulse to make soup.
• Irish moss is used as a thickening agent in products like salad dressings.

• Seaweed is an excellent source of many essential nutrients, including protein.
• Most seaweeds are also a rich source of iodine. The thyroid gland needs iodine to make the hormones that regulate body metabolism.
• The mineral content of the various types of seaweed differ, but most provide calcium, copper, iron, potassium and magnesium.
• Some supply beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. The levels vary with the cooking method.
• Seaweed also tends to be low in calories. A 375 millilitre (1 1/2 cup) serving of kelp contains about 50 calories.
• The same serving also provides two grams of protein, almost 200 micrograms of folate, 120 milligrams of magnesium and useful amounts of iron and calcium.

• The major drawback to seaweed is that many types are high in sodium.
• A recommended daily sodium intake for a healthy person should not exceed 2,400 milligrams.
• A 375 millilitre (1 1/2 cup) portion of raw wakame contains approximately 900 milligrams of sodium.
• The same amount of dried spirulina yields more than 1,100 mg milligrams.
• Kelp and laver are lower in sodium, containing 250 milligrams and 60 milligrams, respectively, per 375 millilitre (1 1/2 cup) portion.
• Anyone on a low-salt diet should avoid foods containing seaweed.

Seaweed is tasty, versatile and used all around the world. You can add it to all sorts of meals to take advantage of its many nutrients. But if you're watching your sodium levels, it may be best to avoid.