Sea moss, the buzz ingredient in health and wellness right now

Posted on May 11th, 2022

Sea moss has been popping up on social media lately. It’s used in smoothies and healthy recipes.

Not sure what it is? Sea moss is a spiny sea vegetable that’s primarily harvested for use in health supplements and as a thickening ingredient in commercial foods.

If you’ve heard about sea moss supplements, you may wonder how you could use them and whether there are other ways to consume sea moss. We give you more detail on this nutritional plant.

What is sea moss?

Sea moss, scientifically known as Chondrus crispus, is a type of algae or seaweed. It grows in waters along the rocky Atlantic coasts, primarily between North America and Europe.

It’s an edible sea plant similar to other seaweeds, algae, and other familiar leafy sea vegetables like kelp or dulse.

Sea moss grows in a number of colours, such as shades of green, yellow, purple, red, brown, and black.

Nutritional value of sea moss?

Red seaweeds like sea moss contain an array of vitamins and minerals. They’re naturally low in calories, fat, and sugar, and they contain a small amount of plant protein

Sea moss contains 92 minerals of the 102 minerals that the human body consists of, such as zinc, iodine, iron, calcium, potassium, B-complex vitamins, sodium, sulfur, silicon, and iron.

It is also a source of potassium chloride, a nutrient which helps to dissolve catarrhs (inflammation and phlegm in the mucous membranes), which cause congestion. It also contains compounds which act as natural antimicrobial and antiviral agents, helping to get rid of infections.

Uses:

Today sea moss is mainly used as a source of vitamins and minerals to benefit overall health.

You can use the sea moss gel on your raw vegan desserts

Home-made jams, smoothies, sauces, teas, breads, soups and broth, puddings, dressings

Sea moss has a long history of use as a food-thickening agent. It’s the only natural source of carrageenan, a thickener that manufacturers use in foods like ice cream, cottage cheese, non dairy milks, and even baby formula.

Potential benefits of using sea moss:

May help support weight loss. Seaweeds and microalgae are rich in fibre that can help you feel full and prevent overeating. Studies have shown that a compound in seaweed called fucoxanthin promoted fat metabolism in rats

May support immunity. One study in salmon found that supplemental seaweed improved immune modulation and immune response. Scientists need to do more research to see whether it also supports immunity in humans.

Original post: https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/health/diet/sea-moss-the-buzz-ingredient-in-health-and-wellness-right-now-415c4ceb-cfce-4ab1-b86a-3fba5ff575c8