fiber and minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. Dietary fiber is good for the intestine and iron helps to prevent anemia. The ratio of calcium to magnesium in hijiki is 2 to 1. Arsenic health risk Several government food safety agencies advise consumers to avoid consumption of hijiki seaweed. Test results have indicated that levels of inorganic arsenic were significantly higher than in other types of seaweed. These results have been independently verified. Government food safety agencies that advise against consumption include the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of the United Kingdom, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan has responded with a report pointing out that while the consumption of more than 4.7 g hijiki seaweed per day could result in an intake of inorganic arsenic that exceeds the tolerable daily intake for this substance, the average daily consumption for Japanese people is estimated at 0.9 g. Several of the reports from other food safety agencies acknowledged that occasional hijiki consumption was unlikely to cause significant health risks but advised against all consumption regardless. Although no known illnesses have been associated with consuming hijiki seaweed to date, inorganic arsenic has been identified as carcinogenic to humans. Exposure to inorganic arsenic has been linked with gastrointestinal effects, anemia, and liver damage. People who follow a macrobiotic diet that often includes large amounts of seaweed may be at greater risk. See also Arsenic poisoning References Further reading External links Canadian Food Inspection Agency — Factsheet Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong — Hijiki and Arsenic Food Standards Agency of the United Kingdom — Hijiki: your questions answered New Zealand Food Safety Authority — Hijiki media release Seaweeds Used as Human Food Fucales Japanese condiments Japanese cuisine terms Japanese vegetables Korean condiments Edible seaweeds