Title: Different Types of Seaweed - Nutritional Benefits of Seaweed
Headings: 4 Reasons to Eat Your Ocean Veggies
4 Reasons to Eat Your Ocean Veggies
Because fish aren't the only, well, fish in the sea...
Photo: Dan Saelinger
Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida)
Nori (Porphyra species)
Kombu (Laminaria japonica)
Arame (Eisenia bicyclis)
From the July 2011 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Content: Nori (Porphyra species)
Papery sheets with a mild earthy taste
Nutritional Perks
Among the marine flora, nori is one of the richest in protein (up to 50 percent of the plant's dry weight), and one sheet has as much fiber as a cup of raw spinach and more omega-3 fatty acids than a cup of avocado. Nori contains vitamins C (a potent antioxidant) and B12 (crucial for cognitive function) and the compound taurine, which helps control cholesterol. Kitchen Prep
For a snack, toast strips of nori in the oven at low heat. Or cover a sheet with cooked brown rice; add a layer of sliced carrots, celery, or avocado, and a dash of wasabi. Roll it up and dip in a sauce of tamari, toasted-sesame oil, ginger, and rice vinegar. Kombu (Laminaria japonica)
Leafy kelp with a full-bodied, savory flavor
Nutrition Perks
Kombu is prized as a source of iodine, which is needed to produce the two key thyroid hormones that control metabolism. The kelp is also rich in fucoidan, a phytochemical that acts as an anticoagulant; a 2011 study found that kombu contains properties that stop clots from forming in blood vessels—which may make it a promising subject for cardiovascular research. Kitchen Prep
To make a flavorful broth called dashi (the chicken stock of Japan), simmer a strip of dried kombu in water for five minutes.