Sea vegetables are one of the greatest super foods on the planet.  They contain vital minerals that are extremely hard to get due to modern farming techniques.  Sea Vegetables are a staple in the long living Okinawan people of Japan.  Many believe that these foods are what allow The Okinawan to live to such an old age.

Unfortunately, the benefits of sea vegetables such a dulse, kombu, kelp, nori, wakame, arame and ogonori are still not well known among the entire population.  However, this food is beginning to gain traction as more and more health consciousness individuals look for ways to improve their diet.

Below are five reasons why you need to start incorporating sea vegetables into your diet today!

1. Excellent for Thyroid Health

Sea vegetables contain extremely high amounts of the mineral iodine. Iodine is a necessary mineral in order for the thyroid to function properly (1).  Those with hypothyroid disorders are typically Iodine deficient.  Very few foods in the world food supply still contain this necessary mineral, which is why so many people are experiencing thyroid disorders.

Luckily, sea vegetables contain some of the highest amounts of iodine on the planet.  One teaspoon of dulse gives you over 100% of your daily recommended value of iodine!  Also unlike synthetic iodine which can harm the body, sea vegetables contain an organic form of iodine which is 100% bio available.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that too much iodine can actually inhibit thyroid function as well.  You only need very small amounts of sea vegetables to reach your daily limit of iodine so don’t overdo it!

2. Sea Vegetables are Full of Essential Minerals

As well as containing the necessary mineral iodine, sea vegetables are loaded full of trace minerals that help promote overall health.  Some of these include iron, riboflavin, B6, vitamin b12 (analogue), magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and chromium.  These minerals help bolster the health of the body and aid in cellular regeneration.

3. Contains Enzymes that Aid Digestion

Because sea vegetables are a raw food, they naturally contain enzymes.  The enzymes found in sea vegetables can help with the digestive process and help further break down our food so more nutrients can be obtained.   For this reason, sea vegetables make a great side dish for any meal.

4. Excellent Salad Topper

Sea vegetables make a great addition to any salad.  The natural sodium found in sea vegetables helps bring that salty flavor that tastes so good with salads.  In fact, the sodium found in sea vegetables will help balance out the potassium in your green salad.  If we take in too much potassium without enough sodium, we run the risk of dehydration and vice versa.  Applying sea vegetables to your salad will not only help with your nourishment, but also with your hydration!

5. Great for the Adrenal Glands

Due to our modern society and our “go go go” mentality, many are experiencing adrenal fatigue symptoms.  Sea vegetables can help regenerate and maintain the adrenals due to their large mineral content; sodium in particular.  Sodium is required by the adrenal glands in order to properly function and maintain. It’s for this reason that low salt diets are a terrible idea.  However, it’s important to remember that sea vegetables and sea salt should always be used in place of table salt.

Where to buy?

Sea vegetables can be purchased typically in any Asian market.  However, the source of where they’re coming from is usually unknown.  We have found that Maine Coast are the best sea vegetables are the best.  They come from the Atlantic Ocean up on the coast of Maine and are always fresh.

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