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Seaweed: Snacks, Salad And Sushi Made From Spicy Seaweed

Seaweed is a well-known and popular ingredient for Japanese sushi, but what does a seaweed salad taste like? And isn’t the consistency slimy? Discover with us a portion of food that is often underestimated.

Not just for sushi: seaweed

Seaweed is algae that mainly grows on the sea coast and can grow up to 50 meters in size. The appearance is very diverse, ranging from voluminous seaweed leaves to herbaceous algae. Seaweed also covers a wide spectrum in terms of color and includes red, green, and brown algae. Blue-green algae such as spirulina, which strictly speaking belong to the bacteria, must be distinguished from this. Edible seaweed can be processed into numerous delicious dishes: the most well-known use is certainly when you make your own sushi. You roll rice, fish, and vegetables in a roasted sheet of seaweed (nori). The Japanese seaweed salad Wakame is also often on the menu of Asian restaurants and can easily be made from dried seaweed. To do this, pour hot water over the leaves, let them swell for ten minutes, and mix the drained seaweed with the dressing. The consistency is similar to cucumber, the taste is spicy and salty.

Is seaweed healthy?

If you would like to prepare seaweed more often and enjoy seaweed snacks such as chips and miso soup in addition to sushi and salad, the question arises as to the health benefits or dangers. In terms of nutritional values, seaweed is impressive: raw it is rich in vitamin A, folic acid, and iodide and contains vitamins B1, B2, iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium. However, the iodine content in particular can also cause problems, especially in dried goods. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends not consuming more than 200 micrograms of iodine per day. Some types of seaweed can exceed this value even in small quantities. It is best to give preference to products with precise iodine specifications and do not eat seaweed too often and in small quantities.

Where can you buy seaweed?

You can buy seaweed in Asian and organic shops mainly in dried or frozen form, rarely fresh. There are also numerous products in which the algae are processed, such as crispy snacks, bread, ready meals, pasta, oils, soup powder, and seasoning pastes. Pay attention to the origin, because depending on the harvesting area, the sea delicacy can be contaminated with pollutants. Organic quality products usually offer the highest level of safety, and dietary supplements such as seaweed powder the lowest.

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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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