Sinatra's Super Foods: Seaweed

Seaweed is not a single vegetable, but a large group of plants with a wide range of flavors and textures. These sea vegetables also happen to be exceptionally rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. In fact, they contain all 56 minerals!

Because they are so nutrient dense, seaweeds have a long tradition in Japan as a medicinal food, utilized in treating cancer, lowering blood pressure, thinning the blood, preventing ulcers, and protecting against radioactive damage. In particular, seaweed contains a substance called sodium alginate that helps our bodies eliminate radioactive strontium, which is a breakdown product of uranium that we are constantly exposed to from sunlight, X-rays, and microwaves.

Seaweed is also a good source of iodine—an element that is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones and protects the thyroid from radioactive carcinogens, supports the adrenal glands, helps with digestion, and improves immunity. In addition, seaweed is high in calcium, a mineral known for its bone-building and blood-pressure-lowering benefits.

Serving Up Seaweed

Common edible seaweeds include nori, wakame, dombhu, arame, dulse, hijiki, kelp, alaria, kombu, and agar agar.

Virtually all of the seaweed you will find in stores is dehydrated. Your local grocery store may carry a few types of seaweed in the international foods section, although you'll probably find a larger selection at health food stores or a natural foods grocery. If you're lucky enough to have an Asian grocery store or market close to you, you'll find the greatest variety and the lowest prices.

Another option is to buy online. Organic seaweeds are available from such sites as Marine Coast Sea Vegetables (www.seaveg.com).

Soups, such as the one below, and salads are probably the two most popular ways to incorporate seaweed into your meals. But also consider stir-frying or sautéing seaweed and including it as part of other multi-veggie dishes. (Get more heart-healthy recipes.) Regardless of how you enjoy it, please note that some kinds of seaweed can be high in sodium. So for those who have a history of congestive heart failure or high blood pressure, I recommend that you only eat seaweed about once a week.

Sea Vegetable Soup

• 1 cup various sea vegetables (dulse, kelp, wakame, kombu, etc.)
• 3 quarts spring water
• 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 ½ cups broccoli, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• Dash of cayenne pepper, freshly ground pepper, or ginger
• 2 Tbsp. miso
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Optional ingredients: mushrooms, potatoes, brown rice

Soak sea vegetables for 30 minutes and discard water (this takes out the excess sodium). Place in spring water and simmer. Sauté onion, carrot, broccoli, and garlic for five minutes, or until onions are partially translucent. Add vegetables to spring water with remaining ingredients except miso. Simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove one-half cup of liquid and dissolve miso in it. Return to soup and heat for three minutes. Do not boil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with parsley.

This recipe, with slight modification, was taken from Fighting Radiation with Foods, Herbs, and Vitamins-Documented Natural Remedies that Boost Your Immunity & Detoxify (Vitality, Ink., 1990) by Steven R. Schechter, N.D.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): Calories 147, Fat 11 g, Sodium 397 mg, Carbs 11 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 3 g

Get all the details on other Sinatra's Super Foods.

WATCH: Dr. Sinatra's Top 12 Healing Foods

Video courtesy of HeartMDInstitute