Check out this article on the dangers of eating algae, spirulina, kelp, nori, and other seaweeds: Algae Spirulina Seaweed Caution.

Thank you very much for this information, Prana.

Thanks - good information.

Is the author trying to suggest seaweed is sentient? If so, the vegan society obviously think the complete opposite since they approve spirulina products.

Is there any data available on tests that have been done on spirulina, nori etc looking specifically for high levels of dangerous contaminants? I already know of the arsenic issue with Hijiki.

(That webpage has no sources, just an article to some sewage spill from 7 years ago.)

Wow- I counted up 20 exclamation points in that article. That is an immediate red flag for me.. just from a gut-reaction "sense." It seems to be written from a hyper-anxiety viewpoint, rather than from a calm, well-researched scientific stance.

Just my opinion..

Just one persons view point with no scientific backing or studies to back up there claims.

If fruit and vegetables are being fed kelp to grow should we stop eating fruit and vegetables also?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2010 01:14PM by powerlifer.

No, not very scientific(except where explaining what marine veg are), but interesting in its hypothesis that because these algae, seaweeds, etc., are waste filters, it may not be beneficial to consume them.

If you click on the link at the top right of the article, you will go to author Tom Rodgers's blog and can read a frenzied and fascinating account of how he came to be a vegan. I caution that if you have an exclamation point sensitivity, it may be a bit much, but still worth a read! Thanks for posting, Prana.

Id just like to point out, but isnt every living thing a waste filter to a certain extent? I mean yeah, not in the strictly scientific definition, yet dont all fruits and veggies process the waste of animals, and the dead decaying bodies of their brethren to produce the wonderful stuff we fill ourselves with? not to mention they process our waste CO2 to do the same... personally, unless a type of seaweed tests as having dangerous contaminants, such as with hijiki, I do not think that the task it performs in nature should in any way dictate whether or not it is beneficial let alone harmful for us to consume unless legitimate tests prove it one way or another... whatever ones personal opinions about seaweed though, it was definitely an interesting read. thanks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Oh that nasty, nasty carnivorous seaweed!.

NOT. The article contains several mistakes.

To begin with, from the article:

"All so-called algae or seaweeds are made up of primitive animal cells called protists and are cyano-bacteria or flagellates - tiny animal cells!"

Wrong. Although it's true that seaweed is an algae, algaes are "plant-like protists", classified as such because algaes are commonly uni-celled, whereas land plants are multi-celled (Biology Demystified, by Dr. Dale Layman, 2003).

According to Dr. Layman, Professor of Biology, and Human Anatomy and Physiology:

"The Fossil Record shows the first algae (literally "seaweeds" ) appearing about 1.5 billion years ago. Algae are sometimes considered the most primitive members of the Plant Kingdom, whereas other scientists classify them as plant-like protists...Primitive green algae are thought to be the forerunners of modern green plants. All algae contain chlorophyll, and therefore produce energy by photosynthesis..."

Since Algae (sometimes called the "First Plants" ) and Protozoa (sometimes called the "First Animals" ) are both uni-celled, they are both in the Protist Kingdom. Hence the confusion I guess. But algae are "plant-like", whereas protozoa are "animal-like". Algaes are not animals!

Algaes, including seaweeds, are also not "cyano-bacteria". They are not bacteria at all. Bacteria and viruses belong in yet another kingdom, the Monera Kingdom.

To confuse matters a little more, some organisms, commonly referred to as algae, are actually bacteria: blue-green algae, for example. Seaweed however, is a true algae.

Back to the anti-seaweed article:

"As with all other animals, these are oxygen consumers (not providers), so they will markedly deplete water of oxygen available to fish and all other sea life when excess blood, body fluids, decomposing animal tissues and animal wastes allow their "blossom" or "bloom" to occur in, and thus choking, a river, lake or sea!"

Sounds like algae is the scourge of the planet!

Wrong again As explained above, seaweeds are not animals. They produce oxygen, and they provide food for aquatic animals (which of course are not all carnivores). Seaweed is not carnivorous. It does not kill animals for food. Just like land plants, seaweeds consume animal waste and decomposed animal organisms. All of the basic elements of life are continually recycled as a result of the relationship between plants and animals. Good thing, yes?

According to World Book Encyclopedia) :

"Like other green plants, seaweeds contain a green pigment (coloring matter) called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll enables green plants to make their own food through photosynthesis, the process by which plants use energy from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar. This sugar not only fuels the seaweeds' own growth and development, it also serves as food for animals that feed on seaweeds. Seaweeds also help provide sea animals with oxygen, which is released as a by-product of photosynthesis. In addition, many marine creatures find shelter in seaweed beds...

"There are about 7,000 species of seaweeds. Almost all are algae, one of the simplest forms of plant life."

It's my understanding that an ecological imbalance may create a condition where there is more algae than sea animals to consume the algae. This is sometimes called "bloom". The excess algae will rot, and just like rotting land plants, the rotting algae will consume oxygen rather than produce it.

Living plants and algaes breathe in carbon dioxide, transforming it into carbohydrates. We humans eat the carbohydrates and breathe them out as carbon dioxide. And the cycle begins again. Cool, huh?

According to the anti-seaweed article:

The common supplemental ingestion of algae and sea-weed facilitates the factual reason and explanation as to why several Olympic participants were recently tested positive for steroids, even when they and their trainers were certain and certified that no illicit steroids had been given to them!

Well, maybe, can't say for sure, but if so, that doesn't mean that the natural steroids (a family of fats) consumed from seaweeds are in any way harmful. In fact, lack of sufficient iodine - most reliably found in seaweeds - is known to cause reproductive problems, weight gain, retardation, stunted growth, depression, and multiple other physical problems related to improper thyroid function.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2010 04:24AM by suncloud.

good post suncloud, you have far more energy than me, i cant believe im still awake,lol.

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Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

What ever - i still don't like the stuff and don't consider it food!!!

OK flipper!

Curator, you're funny.

Yes late. G'night.....(snooze)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2010 09:55AM by suncloud.

I'd like to actually eat seaweed because I hear it's great for making strong, shiny hair (and I have thin, frizzy hair). But how do you make it taste good? I can't stand the stuff.... Nori wraps? Eeew!

Suncloud, thanks! Great explanation, very helpful!

Yeah suncloud thanks for breaking that article down It was too late by the time i posted there are more innaccurate points also but the whole article is a sham.

hiddenfang,

Alas, there is no way to mask the taste of seaweed!

Dulse is one of the milder tasting seaweeds also it melts in your mouth so you dont have to chew and chew the taste like with wakame which makes the experience horrible.

I hide dulse in miso soup along with wakame and chopped nori.

Alternatively you could take a kelp/seaweed supplement but i prefer food sources minus if your using the brown seaweed extract for immune stimulation/cancer/heavy metal detoxification.

There is a three-seaweed mixture sold in flakes that 1 tsp. supposedly has how much iodine you need (they don't say how much iodine according to whom/what, etc.). I could see using that MAYBE in a smoothie and not tasting it. Or a salad dressing, if you use dressings.

Powerlifer I can't see how it is right to have to 'hide' your food in other food. You either like it and eat it or you don't. If something tastes disgusting then don't eat it.

Food shouldn't be such hard work!!

I agree with powerlifer that dulse is a very mild-tasting seaweed. I rinse it very lightly to take off extra salt, add it to salads, and it's great.

I really like the taste of most seaweeds, including nori. But some nori brands are horrible. They taste like dead fish! I can't eat them at all.

I like the taste of Navita's raw organic nori. Plus they sent me a verification that they test their nori for heavy metals. I love making nori rolls, with lots of lemon juice, grated carrots, lettuce, cilantro, red bell pepper strips.

Add whatever you like, for instance: minced onion, garlic, grated ginger, spinach, kale, grated cabbage, avocado ... You can add anything, but don't overstuff the roll. I squeeze lemon on the veggies, and then seal the roll by rubbing the lemon lightly along the far end of the nori, just before I roll it. I've learned to really love the chewiness of the nori.

Takes practice eating these nori rolls without everything falling out. 2 nori sheets supply enough iodine for the day.

I steer clear of the kelp granules. They might be good in cooked stuff, but the powdered kelp seems better with raw. 1/16 teaspoon kelp powder supplies a day's worth of iodine. It can be sprinkled on salads. Or sometimes I do this: soak and stir 1/8 cup chia in 1 cup water for 1/2 hour, put it in a blender with 1/8 cup sunflower seeds (soaked or unsoaked), add some water, add 1/16 teaspoon kelp, blend. You can taste the kelp a little. But I like it.

Add a couple of bananas and some papaya, and you probably won't taste the kelp.

I think it's only natural that people who weren't raised eating seaweed don't like it, at least at first. People raised in Pacific Island cultures eat seaweed from "small kid time", and love it.

Many people hate land vegetables if they were raised without ever eating them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2010 12:13AM by suncloud.

I love nori rolls, so do the kids. I'm not usually a big fan of fishy tasting foods either. I could eat 2 daily but they cost too much for that. Seriously, if you can even find the raw ones, they are mega bucks for a package of a few sheets.

Something from the sea has to be good for me. I will definitely try Kelp - never did. I just want to try it directly from the sea, pick it myself. I have spent some time at sea resorts (tourist rep), and heard the local boys saying that "everything from the sea can be eaten". That sounds very optimistic and promising and I will never forget it.

I know a source for 50 packs of nori for $15 after shipping, but they are not raw unfortunately... also, for me, making basically a virgin bloody mary with my juicer and blender tastes great, juiced the fresh seaweed, some celery, carrot to increase sweetness a bit, few drops of tabasco, and tried a few drops of Worcestershire sauce last time, was awesome... then I blend some of the juice with a tomato till smooth, then mix it with the rest of the juice...delicious...far more palatable to me than the real thing made with that gross clamato stuff...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, does all this include chlorella? I love the stuff and feel it's doing something good for me.

I wouldnt take any note of the article horsea its so full of inaccuracies, chlorella is a great supplement and one that helped rid me of heavy metals.

You make a good point flipperjan but its either that or risk iodine deficiency which ive already been very low on. Seaweeds have so many other health benefits that i feel the masking is worth it.

I don't think we should trust our tastebuds too much. What we like the taste of and what's good for our bodies are very different, IMHO. Fresh wheatgrass juice is hardly the most palatable juice, yet I feel it is beneficial to me.

I like the taste of nori, but I remember buying a seaweed salad mix from Clearspring and gagging on one of the particularly slimy varieties- I was chewing it forever! That put me off seaweeds for a really long time! YUCK!

haha that sounds like wakame takes really long to chew and is very slimy.

yeah, I agree tastebuds arent always the best thing to use to choose what is or isnt good for us... most processed foods are loved by the average persons tastebuds...they certainly are not good for us...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

My daughter-in-law is Japanese, born and raised in Japan. She and my son and grandson are visiting, so I asked my daughter-in-law some seaweed questions.

I asked her if she had always liked seaweed. She said yes. It would seem strange to her to not like seaweed. She said seaweed is a part of life in Japan, and she and other Japanese people enjoy eating seaweed from the time they are babies. It's something they enjoy all their lives.

I asked her if she could remember knowing anyone ever in Japan who didn't like seaweed. She said no. She said everyone likes seaweed. She said some people don't like Shiitake mushrooms, but everyone likes seaweed.

By now, my son was in on the conversation, and I explained to them that some people on the mainland US and in Europe think seaweed shouldn't be eaten because it tastes bad, and so it must not be a good food. My son and daughter-in-law both thought this would not make any sense at all to someone in Japan, or even to someone in Hawaii.

My daughter-in-law said she thinks the reason people on the US mainland and in Europe don't like seaweed is because they never ate it when they were growing up. She said her grandmother could never learn to like beef or milk, because she never had those foods growing up. Her grandmother lived into her mid-90s, often working by herself in the family vegetable garden.

My daughter-in-law also said she sends my 7-year-old grandson to school with nori, and all the white kids look at it and say "eeeewww". Just one other kid from South America, tried the nori and likes it. Maybe it's more difficult for children to like new things when they've only been exposed to their own culture.

My grandson loves nori and other seaweeds, and he likes all other green vegetables also. He and his parents have just returned from a summer in Japan, where they helped my daughter-in-law's parents in their vegetable garden. The garden is mulched with rice straw, and has lots of wonderful vegetables, plus strawberries, watermelons, and figs. My grandson never has cow's milk (and he says he runs faster than anyone else in his class). I am happy he is growing up this way.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2010 06:31PM by suncloud.

Interesting post, suncloud. I was fortunate enough to travel to Japan last October and one thing I realized is that the consumption of seaweeds complemented all of the other flavors of the cuisine perfectly. Especially in the traditional soba dishes (hot or cold), the types of additional ingredients (mostly shredded nori or other type of sea vegetable), reflects the seasonal availability and harvest.

I am thinking that, in America, implementing seaweed into a mainstream diet, or even raw vegan diet, would need some other "background" flavors to help bring around it's specific flavor profile. It's about context.

Also, taste buds can be learned or "retrained," I believe. Surely mine have. I am turned off by super sweet, and crave more subtle and bitter flavors.

And I love seaweeds!