Sea Vegetables

By Jennette Turner

Are you looking for a way to expand the variety of vegetables in your diet? Would you like something extraordinarily nutritious with interesting flavors and textures? Try sea vegetables! These are wild marine algae that are harvested for culinary use all over the world. They contain a wide variety of important vitamins, minerals and special nutrients that benefit health. Sea vegetables, such as nori, dulse, wakame and kelp, have been most commonly used in coastal areas such as the British Isles and Japan. Since they are fabulous from both nutritional and culinary perspectives, the popularity of these foods is spreading.

Ounce for ounce, sea vegetables contain higher amounts of minerals than any other food. They are among the richest sources of magnesium (the stress mineral - we all need more of that!), potassium (which helps regulate blood pressure) and especially calcium (important for muscles, teeth and bones). Sea vegetables also provide iron (for your blood and energy levels) and iodine (which helps boost thyroid function - important for your endocrine system). For comparison: hijiki, arame and wakame all contain 10-20 times the calcium of milk; hijiki, wakame and kelp all contain 4-8 times the iron of beef; and arame, kelp and kombu all contain over 100 times the iodine of shellfish!

Sea vegetables are also a great source of vitamins C, E and K, mood stabilizing B complex vitamins and the antioxidant beta-carotene. Sea vegetables are also a particularly good source of disease-preventing folic acid. Note: though bacteriological tests have confirmed the presence of vitamin B12 in sea vegetables, it is actually a B12 analogue which is NOT usable by the body. This situation can be dangerous for vegans, because it can mask B12 deficiency in a blood test, a serious condition that can cause permanent brain damage.

Sea vegetables are also a unique source of substances called fucans, which can help reduce inflammation in the body. Couple that with their muscle-relaxing calcium and nerve-soothing magnesium and you have a great ally in fighting pain. In addition to these nutritional benefits, sea vegetables contain plenty of fiber, are very low in calories and taste delicious!

Perhaps the most impressive quality of sea vegetables is their detoxifying abilities. They contain phytochemicals shown to absorb radioactive elements from the body and assist with their elimination. These phytochemicals convert toxic heavy metals (such as aluminum, lead and mercury) into harmless salts that can then be excreted from the body by normal channels. On a personal note, the toddler son of a good friend of mine had dangerously high lead levels - she began feeding him dry nori as a snack as often as he'd eat it. She told me that her doctor had never seen lead levels drop so fast.

Sea vegetables are delicious and can be very simple to use. The Wedge carries a wide variety of dried sea vegetables in various forms. Some require preparation and others can be eaten dry by themselves or sprinkled on food as condiments. These tasty and nutritious foods are available in bulk (above the bulk baking supplies in Aisle 2) and packaged in the International Foods section in Aisle 3.

• Dulse comes in maroon-colored soft leaves. It has a mild, briny flavor and can be eaten raw, sautéed or used in soups. A tip: dulse needs to be rinsed before sautéing to soften it. Dulse is also available in flakes to use as a salt substitute. You can find it with the bulk herbs and spices or in convenient shakers in Aisle 3.
• Nori is most commonly used in sushi rolls. It is sold as large sheets ready to wrap around cooked rice and condiments. It can also be crumbled into soups, vegetables or grains and can be eaten dry by itself. Try tearing it into thin strips and giving it to your kids - my daughter loves it.
• Hijiki (Hiziki) looks like long black curls of grass and has a strong briny or oceany flavor. Soak hijiki before using to soften it (15-30 minutes are enough). Note: hijiki expands to more than four times its dry size after soaking, so a little goes a long way! It is best sautéed.
• Arame looks like thin brown blades of grass and only needs a 5-minute soak before using. Arame will expand to twice its dry size and has a milder flavor than hijiki, but even so, it is fishier than dulse or nori.
• Kelp is usually sold in powder or in tablets and is used as a nutritional supplement or salt substitute. It is one of the easiest ways for people to include sea vegetables in their diets. Try sprinkling a little bit on sandwiches - you won't even notice it on anything with a strong flavor, such as mayonnaise or nut butter. Kelp can also be added to soups or dips. I like to add it to hummus.
• Kombu is a member of the kelp family. It comes in greenish strips and is often cooked with beans to tenderize them and make them easier to digest. Kombu can also be cooked alone to make broth. Traditional dashi stock is made with kombu and dried bonito flakes.
• Wakame has a mild flavor and olive green color. Wakame is usually used in miso soups (it is added to the soup dry) and salads. It needs a 5-minute soaking period before using.
• Agar is sold in both flake and powder form. Agar is used as a gelling agent, most commonly to make kanten, a natural vegetarian "Jell-O" made with fruit juice. To gel one cup of liquid, use 1 T. agar flakes or 1 tsp. powder.

GINGERY HIJIKI-CARROT STIR-FRY

• 3-4 carrots, sliced diagonally and halved (or cut however you want)
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 1/4 c. dried hijiki
• 2 T. sesame oil
• 2 T. grated ginger
• tamari or shoyu to taste (start with about 2 T.)

OPTION: sesame seeds and/or scallions for garnish

1. Soak the hijiki in water for 15-30 minutes. Drain.
2. Warm the sesame oil in a large skillet. Add the carrots and onions and sauté for a few minutes, until the vegetables begin to glisten.
3. Add the hijiki and ginger. Sauté 5 more minutes, stirring often.
4. Turn heat off. Add tamari or shoyu, stir, taste and adjust.