You might be looking for a kelp recipe. I have a delicious one for you! But before anything else, let’s talk about the benefits of kelp.
Right now, you are likely thinking of a new version of kale or collard greens just like my community ladies! Well, it’s not. This new green vegetable is millions of years old and is actually from the ocean. Does ‘sea vegetable’ sound familiar?
You may be thinking of the green algae that you run away from when swimming in the ocean. In this case, yes, you are right! It’s from the same family. Seaweed is a plant in the ocean or the ‘green veggies’ of the ocean, on the same level as spinach is on Earth.
We all know how much green veggies, such as spinach, are good for us… well, guess what? Seaweed is as good for us as spinach!
So What’s So Good About Seaweed?
- Sea vegetables offer one of the broadest ranges of minerals of any food containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean—and not surprisingly, many of the same minerals found in human blood.
- Sea vegetables also offer a variety of unique phytonutrients, including their sulfated polysaccharides (also called fucoidans). Phytonutrients are beneficial to human health and help prevent various diseases.
- Sea vegetables contain several other antioxidants which are nutrients that support the destruction of free radicals cells, such as cancer cells, including alkaloid antioxidants.
- Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine, vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin B2. They are also a very good source of vitamin A and copper, as well as a good source of protein, pantothenic acid, potassium, iron, zinc, vitamin B6, niacin, phosphorus, and vitamin B1.
With all the health benefits of this vegetable from the sea, the delicious taste is just a bonus. You’ll see when you try my kelp recipe!
Anti-cancer Properties of Sea Vegetables
The anti-carcinogenic properties of brown seaweed (kelps, wracks, and others) is well known in some cultures. Traditional Chinese medicine includes the brown alga Laminaria in the treatment of cancer and it has also been recommended in ancient Ayurvedic texts. There is even a mention in the Ebers Papyrus of the ancient Egyptians have used seaweed to treat breast cancer.
Sea vegetables contain something that is said to cause cancer cells to self-destruct.
It has been recently discovered in Japan that this substance is fucoidan; a complex polysaccharide, one of many polysaccharides found in kelp and other seaweed. Based on research conducted in Japan, fucoidan administered to cancer cells in a laboratory dish was virtually wiped out within 72 hours. The process by which these cells withered away was self-induced in that the DNA within each of the cancer cells was broken down by digestive enzymes contained in the cells themselves. This process is known by the technical term “apoptosis”.
Releasing Your True Self
Our chakra system as defined here by Wikipedia, are energy centers located in the body. Each of the 7 centers of energy is responsible for a different aspect of your being, personality and health.
The throat chakra (5th center) is located, as the name indicates, in the throat area. This is the center of self-expression. People with a weak throat chakra find it very difficult to express themselves or speak clearly about issues.
Simply put, the iodine present in sea vegetables contributes to activating your thyroid gland, which is located in the area of your throat chakra. The thyroid gland is responsible for the metabolism of every cell in our body which gives us momentum in life.
Try My Kelp Recipe!
Perhaps the best known in the seaweed family is Nori, and that’s what my kelp recipe calls for.
Nori is the green sheet that wraps pieces of sushi, is used as a garnish, for flavoring noodle dishes and soups, or as a health supplement. Nori can be purchased in most health food stores and is very affordable. The recipe that I’m proposing to you is very simple so can be a great first step to introduce sea vegetables into your life.
So, go ahead and give it a try. Let me know what you think!
Question: What do you do with Nori? Share your recipe and let me know what you think of the recipe.
PrintKelp Recipe: Seaweed Wrap
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 10
Ingredients
- 2 sheets nori
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 rounded tbsp. mayo
- 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
- dash of sea salt
- dash of cracked black pepper
- 3 tbsp. fresh parsley
- 1 handful of spinach (can be any leafy greens)
- 1 handful of sprouts (optional- just add more leafy greens)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the eggs, mayo, garlic, sea salt, pepper and parsley. Mash the eggs while mixing all ingredients together. Mix and mash until your have a smooth puree.
- Lay the nori sheet on a dry surface. Divide the egg puree in two and spread equally between the 2 nori sheets. In the middle of the nori sheet, spread about 1 “ wide.
- Layer the sprouts on top of the egg mixture and then add the spinach on top.
- Roll the nori sheet and form a wrap.
- Serve and enjoy!