Meanwhile, kelp noodles can be eaten hot or cold, but do need thoroughly rinsing beforehand. They go well in green salads and are an ideal alternative to pasta. It may not look like a superfood, but it most definitely is. Find out its benefits and how to include more in your diet. Bhupesh started his career as a Clinical Toxicologist for Public Health England, advising healthcare professionals all around the country on how to manage clinical cases of adverse exposure to supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial chemicals and agricultural products.
Your Cookie Settings This site uses cookies and similar technologies for performance, social media and advertising purposes in order to provide a customised user experience and understand how our sites are used. In this article, we explain all you need to know about kelp: what it is, to its impact on the body, side effects, cooking with it and more… What is sea kelp?
Is sea kelp and seaweed the same? Handpicked content: Iodine: function, foods, deficiency and supplements Sea kelp and longevity Believe it or not, kelp has been linked with leading to a longer life. Sea kelp and muscle function Kelp can reportedly provide you with energy for working out and help your muscles recover too. Sea kelp dosage Sea kelp is available as food, tablets, powders or tinctures.
At present, there are no official recommended daily dosage guidelines in place for kelp. Sea kelp side effects Never take sea kelp without seeking medical advice first. When to take sea kelp supplements If you'd like to increase your kelp intake, then taking a kelp supplement, either powdered or capsules, may be an option.
How to cook with kelp Raw kelp can be added to stir-fry dishes, soups, salads, smoothies and other drinks. Shop Superfoods. The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care.
Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Last updated : 24 May Sea moss health benefits. Read more from Bhupesh. Suggested Articles. Whereas kelp is most often found along rocky coastlines, and only in saltwater. Sea kelp needs nutrient-rich waters because of its bigger size, meaning there needs to be at least a small amount of movement in the water to ensure a continuous supply of nutrients. We mentioned the different colour groups of seaweed previously, and kelp is within the brown seaweeds the same big group as our Ascophyllum nodosum.
However, unlike our Ascophyllum seaweed, the kelps are often larger and grow on the lowest part of the shore, being mainly below the water even at low tide. An example of a kelp would be a species such as Laminaria digitata. A common name for kelps in food is Kombu. The definition of kelp, and which seaweeds are described as kelp, can change depending on which country you are in so watch out for the actual species name.
Nutritionally all species of seaweed and kelp differ. However, brown seaweeds generally have higher levels of iodine than red or green seaweeds, and the kelps can have extremely high levels. The variation in levels in kelps, often sourced in China and other parts of Asia, can be huge and should be well understood before using any as a food or nutrition source. It is important to know how much iodine you are taking in, and that the source is well understood.
This is why we measure the iodine levels of every single batch of our harvested seaweed. Watch out for cheap kelp tablets that contain a very small amount of kelp, and then loads of fillers and other products to make the tablet.
Whatever colour and size they are, sea kelp and seaweed both have particular characteristics. Seaweed has a unique internal structure, differentiating it from plants that grow on land.
Seaweeds have what are called holdfasts instead of roots, and these holdfasts merely hold the plant in place rather than absorbing any nutrients like roots.
Seaweeds without holdfasts can easily survive by floating along with the water, carried by the hulls of ships or simply on the tides. Sea kelp is among the largest species of seaweed. Unlike other kinds of seaweed, sea kelp fixes itself to a single spot and group together to form thick forests.
These forests can become fully functioning ecosystems which often act as both food and home for different marine animals. The benefits of kelp. Here are all the reasons you'll want to add more seaweed to your diet:. It supports thyroid function. It supports bone health. It aids in weight maintenance.
It could enhance longevity. How to eat kelp. Kelp in supplements. Kelp in skin care. A last word on kelp. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine.
It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you. Kayleigh Roberts mbg Contributor. Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor living in Los Angeles, California.
She earned a B. She covers More On This Topic Recipes. Eliza Sullivan. Functional Food. Simon Hill. With Fern Olivia. This later developed into low thyroid activity hypothyroidism caused by the excess iodine in the seaweed [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 ]. A year-old woman presented with a case of hyperthyroidism after drinking a kelp-containing herbal tea. The tea consumption led to the formation of a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland [ 77 , 74 ].
Similarly, a year-old woman developed liver damage hepatotoxicity after drinking an herbal tea that contained kelp 3 times a day over 2 months. From the excessive iodine, the thyroid glands swelled, leading to hypothyroidism and reducing liver function [ 78 , 79 , 74 ].
A year-old woman experienced hair loss worsening, memory loss, fatigue, and nausea due to exceeding the prescribed amount of kelp supplements. Dried seaweed may have high heavy metal content, such as cadmium Cd. Cadmium can cause toxicity in the body [ 81 ].
Levels of other toxic heavy metals , such as arsenic, lead, aluminum, and mercury in Korean seaweed were determined to be very low and not a health threat [ 82 , 83 , 84 ]. Still, another cellular study initiated in response to the case of severe side effects found detectable arsenic levels in 8 out of 9 tested kelp supplements. Levels of arsenic were higher than the FDA tolerance level for certain food products.
None informed of possible arsenic contamination [ 85 ]. Of these, 26 were deemed to potentially lead to iodine intake above the accepted level [ 90 ]. Two women experienced anaphylactic shock, an extremely severe and possibly fatal allergic reaction when Laminaria a type of kelp sticks were used to terminate a pregnancy. The reaction included breathing difficulty, nausea, and dangerously low blood pressure.
Previous laminaria tent procedures possibly caused this sensitivity [ 91 ]. Always consult your doctor before supplementing and let them know about all drugs and supplements you are using or considering. As a huge source of iodine, kelp supplements may interfere with thyroid replacement therapies. Excessive amounts of iodine, similar to deficiencies, can alter thyroid hormones released and impair overall thyroid function [ 92 , 74 , 93 , 94 ]. Most potential health benefits are supported by only a few, small clinical trials.
In the cases of inflammation, oxidative damage, herpes, brain protection, bone health, and blood pressure and fats, only animal and cell-based studies have been carried out. Because kelp supplements are not approved for any health conditions, there is no official dose. Users and supplement manufacturers have established unofficial doses based on trial and error. Consult your doctor about the best kelp dose in your case.
Certain kelp-based supplements contain that in one tablet. Never exceed this recommended dosage without consultation [ 80 ].
Kelp is a form of large brown sea algae. Different kelp supplements exist with varying amounts of proteins and other nutrients. In nature, different kelp species such as Laminaria digitata , Laminaria Hyperborea , Saccharina latissima , Alaria esculenta that carry more proteins may contain less long-chain carbohydrates such as fucoidan , and vice-versa [ 95 , 90 ]. You can take kelp as food, pill, powder, or tincture. Different types of kelp are used, including winged kelp, laminarin, and fingered tangle.
Each species varies in iodine levels and nutrients, so the supplement strength and risk will also vary [ 90 , 2 , 77 , 20 ]. People in some regions of the world may digest large-chain carbohydrates present in seaweed more easily than others. The Japanese, whose diet includes more marine algae, have a gut bacterium for seaweed digestion that is not present in Americans or Europeans. It originates from a marine bacterium via gene transfer living on the surface of some sea algae species [ 95 ].
The opinions expressed in this section are solely those of kelp users, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. Their reviews do not represent the opinions of SelfHacked. SelfHacked does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.
Do not consider user experiences as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare providers because of something you have read on SelfHacked.
We understand that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider. Users regarded kelp as an effective agent for weight loss and an essential ingredient in energy-boosting juices.
Additionally, users with histories of thyroid issues claimed that the source of iodine present in kelp and its supplements worked better than previously prescribed iodine pills, even improving metabolism. Certain kelp supplement users complained of gaining weight and experiencing depression after long periods of use.
Some even complained of developing the dependency on the supplements for thyroid function , due to the resulting iodine imbalance.
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