Kombu, which is a kelp, is an edible sea vegetable belonging to a group of brown seaweeds. You might know dashi, a Japanese soup stock that has a delicate umami flavor. Dashi is made from kombu seaweed. No wonder, kombu is listed as one of the three most varieties of seaweed which grow in Japan and Korea.
As we know seaweed can be served in many forms, one of which is roasted seaweed. These health benefits of roasted seaweed make it become one of the healthy snacks. Similar to most seaweed, kombu has a lot of health benefits for our body and good for the environment as well. In 1/4 cup serving of kombu, you can find zero fat, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber and protein.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the surprising benefits of kombu seaweed for our body.
Kombu seaweed has the highest amount of iodine among all seaweeds. No wonder, it is considered as one of the most iodine-rich foods in the world. We all know that iodine is important in our diets so that the healthy hormones can be produced and thyroid can function properly.
According to a report published in Thyroid Research, iodine is considered crucial for thyroid hormone synthesis. Furthermore, it is believed to provide antioxidants which are helpful to prevent heart disease and cancer.
Because our body is not able to naturally produce iodine, it is important to make sure you get daily requirement in order for your thyroid to function properly. If you have thyroid issue, you can consider consuming kombu seaweed.
Kombu is also rich in amino acids which can help break down the heavy starches in food like beans. As a result, those kinds of food can be digested much easier. Kombu seaweed also contains glutamic acid which provides its pleasantly savory flavor while the fiber helps the overall digestion.
Kombu seaweed is a great source of fiber and sugar. As a result, these both can be used as food sources for the bacteria in your gut. The fiber is also able to stimulate the growth of “good bacteria” which are beneficial for your gut.
Are you wondering how kombu seaweed help you lose weight? Seaweed contains a high amount of fiber which does not contain any calories. The fiber in kombu seaweed may slow stomach emptying too. As a result, you can feel full for a longer time and can delay hunger pangs.
Are you looking for some other ideas to lose weight? Consider consuming bananas and honey and read these health benefits of banana for weight loss with tips and health benefits of honey for weight loss.
Due to the amount of fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide found in species of brown seaweed, kombu is considered helpful to fight off rheumatoid arthritis. It does by evaluating the process of cell invasion of the seaweed.
According to the study conducted by the Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Department of Medical Affairs, it appears that the arthritis-causing inflamed cells were significantly impaired by the fucoidan treatment, so that it reduced the survival of the bad cells. Hence, the researchers believe that it is a possible to use kombu seaweed for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Sea vegetables offer cancer-preventing benefits. As we know that the development of cancer cells is caused by inflammation and chronic oxidative stress. Kombu together with other types of sea vegetables, on the other hand, are helpful to provide anti-inflammatory benefits, making scientists examine sea vegetables as cancer-fighting food.
For women, consuming sea vegetables may affect their menstrual cycle. Too much estrogen secretion that occurs for a long period of time will put women a high risk of suffering from breast cancer. However, thankfully, kombu seaweed may offer some benefits to help keep cholesterol levels in check.
Cancer can be cured and prevented by consuming some amazing foods. You can read some in benefits of tempeh for cancer and benefits of apricot seed for cancer treatment. These amazing foods are easy to get and offer a lot of benefits for our body.
Despite all the benefits explained above, there are some things you need to be aware of while consuming kombu seaweed. If you suffer from hyperthyroidism, you’d better consult with your doctor. Hyperthyroidism may be the result of consuming too much iodine.
Pregnant women should also avoid consuming kombu altogether. Its safety for pregnant women is still questionable. Don’t ever use if unless it is instructed by medical professional.