With summer quickly approaching, people’s diets need to include as many nutrients as possible to help fuel them while doing summer activities. One good resource for these nutrients is sea moss.
Sea moss, also known as Irish moss or red seaweed, is not a commonly discussed seafood item. Sea moss is an annual seaweed that grows in tidepools that surround North America, Europe and the British Isles. It can be grown in many colors, greens, purples and . This seaweed is mainly harvested for the extraction of its carrageenan, a commonly used thickener in the food industry. Carrageenan can be found in jelly, ice cream and even toothpaste.
Sea moss has been rumored to have many medicinal and health benefits, yet only a few of them have been scientifically proven. The benefits that have been scientifically proven include prevention of Parkinson’s disease, improvement to the immune system and thyroid support.
There was a study done with worms that showed stiffness and slow movement similar to the effect that comes with Parkinson’s in humans. Sea moss was proven to reduce this stiffness. While this experiment has not been replicated with humans yet, the results from this experiment may be promising for future research into ways to reduce the effects of Parkinson’s.
Sea moss also contains a plethora of nutrients and minerals which includes vitamins such as vitamin A, B, C, D, E and K, as well as iodine, iron, calcium and potassium.
Since it contains Vitamin C and D, sea moss can benefit the immune system as those vitamins are essential for overall health.
The thyroid is a gland in the body that regulates metabolism, which converts food into energy. Iodine is an essential nutrient that aids in this process and sea moss has been found to contain a notable amount of iodine. Iodine is toxic if too much is ingested and, since sea moss has a large amount of iodine, it is important to be aware of how much is consumed.
While sea moss is beneficial in many ways, it is important to consume it in moderation and ensure that it is from a clean source. Sea moss and other seaweeds may contain heavy metals if grown in a polluted environment, so it is important to know the source of sea moss.
Overall, sea moss is overlooked in ways; it does have benefits and may be a good source of nutrition to look into for summer activities.