10 Health Benefits of Nori – Seaweed
Nori is the most commonly used edible seaweed. In fact, you may have had it more often than you realize since it goes by different names depending on what type of cuisine you’re dining on. While nori is what the Japanese call it, this versatile sea vegetable is also known as laver in the British Isles, gim or kim in Korea, and zicai in China.
But no matter what you call it, nori has significant health benefits for just about every part of your body. From eye health to disease prevention, nori seaweed is steadily becoming a global standard as a healthy superfood.
Health Benefits of Nori – Seaweed
Source – sifu_renka
- Eye Health Benefits of Nori - Some of the best nutrients for healthy eyes are vitamin A, vitamin C, and anti-oxidants. Nori seaweed is loaded with all of these! Vitamin A prevents dry eye syndrome and the development of nightblindness. Regular consumption of vitamin C reduces your risk for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, two of the most common causes of vision loss around the world according to the World Health Organization.
- Dental Health Benefits of Nori - Commonly when people want to increase their daily calcium intake for bone and teeth health, they reach for dairy products such as milk and cheese. However, nori is known for its high calcium content, which makes it an excellent alternative source for vegetarians and vegans. Calcium is an essential nutrient you need every day to maintain the strength of teeth and prevent tooth decay from acid-producing oral bacteria. The high concentration of vitamin C in nori keeps gums healthy and prevents periodontal disease.
- Brain Health Benefits of Nori – Using up to 20% of the body’s daily energy requirements, your brain needs to stay well-fed for healthy functioning and maintaining your energy level overall. What are the best nutrients for brain power? Two of the crucial brain boosters you can get from eating nori include Omega-3 essential fatty acids and complex carbohydrates. Omega-3 fatty acids improve your cognitive abilities by improving memory, increasing alertness, and may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Complex carbs are often referred to as “brain food” because they are the primary source of energy for your brain to function properly.
- Digestive Health Benefits of Nori – Need more fiber in your diet? Nori contains a large amount of soluble dietary fiber, which dissolves in water and slows down digestion making you feel full longer. A high-fiber diet is important for health because it can regulate your digestive system, help you lose weight, and may help reduce your risk for certain cancers.
- Bone Health Benefits of Nori - A calcium-rich diet is often recommended by medical professionals since it’s a vital component for sustaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis. But if you’re not getting enough magnesium, then your body isn’t properly absorbing and making use of the calcium you’re consuming. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 57% of the population is not getting enough magnesium from their diet. Packed with calcium and magnesium, nori seaweed is a great source to add more bone-strengthening vitamins and minerals.
- Skin Health Benefits of Nori – You may have seen seaweed-containing skin care products at the store or body wrap treatments advertised at your local spa. Even though it may not see like it’s something you want slather all over your body, studies have shown that nori has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties making it ideal for cleansing and toning your skin. If you’d rather not use it as a topical treatment, eating nori will give you the same nutrients and benefits for healthy skin as well.
- Blood Health Benefits of Nori – The advantage for healthy blood you get from eating nori is increasing your daily intake of iron. The importance of iron in blood is to transfer oxygen from our lungs to the various cells that need oxygen to operate and perform activities. Nori is one of the most naturally iron-rich foods you can find.
- Heart Health Benefits of Nori - Omega-3 essential fatty acids are considered some of the best nutritional elements you can get from your food. With Omega-3 fatty acids, nori helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower blood pressure both of which are the leading causes of heart disease. Generally most people get Omega-3 from fish or fortified foods, but vegetarians and vegans can easily enjoy the benefits of nori for optimal health.
- Muscle Health Benefits of Nori - One third of nori is protein. Protein is a big part of any meal for most people, but some studies warn that the average person may regularly eat more than they need. If you get too much protein, your body stores it as fat. Whether you want to be a body-builder or not, nori is a great source of protein because it’s also very low calorie and low fat. You can build muscle and avoid packing on extra pounds unwanted fat.
- Disease Prevention Benefits of Nori – Being anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, nori can help reduce the risk for a number of illnesses such as ulcers, some types of cancer, stomach tumors, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Proper nutrition has always been regarded as a way to help prevent the majority of common diseases. Ensuring that you get all the vitamins and minerals you need becomes an easy task with more nutrient-complete foods like nori seaweed in your diet.
Nori can be used in a number of recipes. You can buy them packaged as square sheets, flavored or unflavored, to be used dry or rehydrated as needed. Most people eat nori as a sushi wrap or mixed with oatmeal and bacon to make laverbread, a traditional Welsh breakfast meal. However it can be included as a topping for pasta, in a salad, in soup, or even a simple healthy snack. Be creative and have fun adding nori to your regular diet.
About the guest blogger – Mark Masters is an avid health blogger who writes for Hill Country Eye Center, an ophthalmologist in Austin TX that provides vision care services from eye exams to LASIK surgery. For more information you can find them at Hill Country Eye Center, 12171 West Parmer Lane #201, Cedar Park, TX 78613, Phone: (512) 528-1144.