The first time I crossed paths with seaweed food products (and I mean actual seaweed and not the delicious lie that is crispy seaweed) was at a blog event in Liverpool. I was obviously curious about trying seaweed spaghetti and since then, I’ve discovered there’s whole brands dedicated to seaweed food.
You can find an amazing selection of seaweed products at Majestic Wellbeing. I, for one, was beyond excited to taste what seaweed goods they had! Though, this got me thinking… what are the benefits of seaweed? And should I include it in my diet more?
Obviously seaweed is a type of algae, a plant-like organism that grows in the sea. I’m not going to lie, the thought of eating algae makes me feel kind of squeamish but my curiosity easily overrode my squeamishness.
As much as I love carbs, I also love finding different alternatives to pasta. Corgetti spaghetti and butternut squash spaghetti had both been hugely successful so it seemed only right to give seaweed spaghetti a try too.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SEAWEED?
As I tore open the bag of seaweed and curiously started cooking it, I was completely unaware of the potential benefits of eating seaweed. Two of the main benefits of seaweed is that it’s rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
RICH IN NUTRIENTS
Surprisingly, seaweed is more nutrient-rich than ‘land’ vegetables. It contains higher concentrates of magnesium, calcium and zinc, to name just a few! As someone who suffers with migraines, getting more magnesium in my diet could be really beneficial for reducing my migraine pain…which, of course, is never a bad thing! So, I’ll happily eat seaweed if it means there’s a chance of reducing my migraine risk. Not to mention, it’s also pretty tasty as a spaghetti alternative too.
FULL OF ANTIOXIDANTS
There’s no denying that antioxidants are good for you. They help protect the health of your heart and body from ‘free radicals’…without getting too scientific. Rich in antioxidant vitamins A, C and E and other bioactive plant compounds, seaweed is bound to help keep you healthy without you even realising.
WAYS TO EAT SEAWEED
Seaweed is surprisingly versatile. I never knew there were so many different ways to get more seaweed into your diet. From what I’ve tried so far, it’s a tasty way to add more nutrient-rich food to your usual meals.
Seaweed Spaghetti
The Sea Spaghetti by The Cornish Seaweed Company is one that I tried and loved. Admittedly, I was dubious at first. Whilst boiling, it does smell like ocean but don’t let that put you off. It doesn’t taste like the sea, much to my amazement. There’s a slight ‘sea breeze’ flavour but it’s mostly flavourless and I can’t explain how glad I am about that.
The texture of seaweed spaghetti is different from normal spaghetti. It has a meaty texture which isn’t a bad thing at all, it’s just different. If anything, it actually makes the spaghetti more filling which is perfect for stopping me from snacking on 851 chocolate digestives immediately after eating a hearty tea.
I enjoyed trying the seaweed spaghetti in spaghetti bolognese and found the flavours from the sauce really soaked into the spaghetti on day two, making it even more delicious. The seaweed spaghetti is also delicious as a side for salmon.
SEA SALT WITH SEAWEED
Along with seaweed, something else I’m trying to add more to my diet is salt. I always thought salt was bad for you so considering I’m not a huge fan of salty food I did what I could to cut down my salt consumption.
But recently, I learnt that salt can actually be good for you. Of course, table salt which is heavily processed isn’t good for you. However, more natural forms of salt such as sea salt or Himalayan salt can be good.
Sea salt is rich in trace minerals and electrolytes which can help keep your mind and body in a healthy balance. Cornish Seaweed Salt comes with an added benefit of raw seaweed meaning you can also absorb some of the benefits from seaweed with your sprinkle of salt.
The seaweed salt is tasty sprinkled over a salad, stir fry or fish dish.
The various types of seaweed don’t stop there. You can also find seaweed crisps, crackers or flakes… to name just a few! I’ll definitely be adding more seaweed to my diet and reaping the benefits that come with it.
If you’re looking to add more nutrient rich foods to your diet, or even wanting to try some new and exciting health foods, supplements or beauty products then definitely pay a visit to Majestic Wellbeing. There, you’ll find an array of amazing quality and often lesser-known and independent brands that you’re bound to fall in love with!