Three Types of Healthy Seaweed Rich with Powerful Vitamins and Nutrients

Porphyra, Wakame and Kombu

Seaweed is not often served at the dinner table in America, but it has long been a nourishing, healthy staple of Japanese cuisine. Its numerous healthy and nutritious aspects cannot be denied, and it is quickly gaining popularity and rising in sales as a health-conscious America eagerly seeks new culinary options to get the nutrients they need and crave alongside new flavors. There are several varieties of seaweed to choose from, but there are three that play significant roles in much of Japanese culture and cookery.

The most commonly seen seaweed in Japanese cuisine is Nori. Nori is made from an edible species of seaweed known as Porphyra. The process of preparing Nori for consumption involves techniques similar to paper-making. The finished product appears as black, dried sheets of paper. Used primarily for wrapping maki sushi and sushi rolls, it is also used extensively as a garnish in rice and noodle dishes and various soups. It has also long been popular with the Irish and Welsh, who refer to it as laver.

Becoming quite popular are flavored varieties of nori, typically various spices or a sesame-soy mix, applied to the nori as it is toasted. Snacks and other foods are sometimes created utilizing nori, and are thusly named after the seaweed, such as Nori Hineri, a sort of honey flavored wheat cracker.

Good quality nori contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A & C, and calcium, zinc, iodine and iron. Nori also contains a moderate amount of sodium, so anyone trying to restrict their intake of sodium should take heed and make sure to examine the exact amount of sodium, which can vary depending on brands.

Another commonly used seaweed is Wakame, found most often in miso soup and salads. Normally purchased in a dried form, this edible kelp is soaked in water before usage. Cultivated in the Pacific, there are literally dozens of brands of soup mixes using wakame as the main ingredient.