Edible seaweed
Marine algae used as food and for hydrocolloid extraction.
Edible seaweeds are multicellular marine algae that can be eaten and used for culinary purposes. They typically contain high amounts of fiber and are particularly popular in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. They belong to groups including red algae, green algae, and brown algae, and are also harvested for polysaccharides such as alginate, agar, and carrageenan, which are used as food additives.
- field
- Food and nutrition
- known_for
- Culinary use and extraction of hydrocolloids
- toxicity_note
- Most marine macroalgae are nontoxic; some freshwater algae are toxic; genus Lyngbya is potentially lethal
Lore & Background
Edible seaweeds have been consumed traditionally in coastal cuisines around the world, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. In Japan, nori (Porphyra) is used in soups and to wrap sushi; agar-agar (kanten) is used as a gelatin substitute. In the Philippines, sea grapes (Caulerpa) and gusô (Eucheuma) are eaten, and gulaman made from agar and carrageenan is used in desserts. Seaweed is also consumed in parts of Europe, including Iceland, Norway, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and coastal England, as well as in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Reader's Guide
Edible seaweeds are significant as a source of nutrients including proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA. They contain high levels of iodine and tyrosine, and are rich in calcium and magnesium. Seaweed is a possible vegan source of vitamin B12, though the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics considers it unreliable. Polysaccharides in seaweed may act as prebiotics, and some edible seaweeds are associated with anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antimutagenic, antitumor, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and neuroprotective properties. The food industry uses hydrocolloids from seaweed for gelling, water-retention, and emulsifying. Most edible seaweeds are marine algae; most freshwater algae are toxic. Some marine algae contain acids that irritate the digestion canal, and members of the genus Lyngbya are potentially lethal, typically causing poisoning through fish that have fed on them.
Did You Know?
- Most edible seaweeds are marine algae; most freshwater algae are toxic.
- Members of the genus Lyngbya are potentially lethal, and poisoning usually occurs from eating fish that have fed on them.
- Seaweed is a possible vegan source of vitamin B12, but the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics considers it unreliable.
- Feeding the seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis to cows can reduce their methane emissions.
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