5 Reasons to Eat Seaweed: Cleveland Clinic

When you’re fitting in your five recommended fruits and vegetables a day, it sometimes reaches a point when you could use some inspiration besides salads and frozen produce—admirable as they are. Seaweed is often overlooked in Western diets, but it happens to be one of the most powerful, naturally nutrient-rich foods available. Some grocers offer it at their seafood counter, while superstores like Costco sell it it among their chilled, ready-to-eat cases (for the fresh, seaweed salad-style) or the dry goods section for “nori,” the rectangular sheets.

Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, a Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian, says there are five key ways in which this ocean vegetable offers impressive benefits.

For starters, seaweed supports disease prevention thanks to its abundance of polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein. These act as antioxidants that help minimize free-radical damage, a process linked to autoimmune conditions, cognitive decline, and the development of cancer. Together, they give seaweed the potential to function as a “nutraceutical,” or a food with medicinal benefits.

Zumpano says seaweed also has the potential to promote a healthier heart, citing a large Japanese study which found that people who regularly ate seaweed—along with vegetables, mushrooms and fish—had a lower risk of heart disease and cardiovascular death. 

You may not eat enough seaweed to get the full effect, but high quantities can help build and repair tissues, Zumpano adds. As a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids, seaweed can aid muscle maintenance, nutrient transport, and more. 

Because seaweed’s polysaccharides act like fiber and nourish healthy gut bacteria, it’s also considered a gut-healthy food. Its insoluble fibers, including cellulose, help keep digestion steady, reduce overeating by increasing fullness, support healthy cholesterol, and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Finally, this simple snack packs a lot of nutrients into very few calories. Whether brown, green or red, seaweed provides an impressive range of minerals and vitamins—such as iodine, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins C, E, K and B12—often at concentrations much higher than land vegetables.

Still, mindful consumption matters, Zumpano notes. Four possible side effects of too much seaweed include diarrhea from overconsumption, excess iodine leading to thyroid issues, heavy-metal buildup from contaminated sources, and interference with blood thinners due to vitamin K. However, research suggests that eating or supplementing with seaweed one to two times per week should be safe. 

As a thoughtful addition to your diet, seaweed can be a flavorful, nutrient-dense part of a health-focused lifestyle. Just be sure to listen to your body, and round out your diet with plenty of other nutrient-rich foods, too.

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