Seaweed is one of the most ancient super-foods that has been used by humans to improve their longevity and health. It has been consumed for thousands of years as a means of nutrition and has been considered to be the “perfect food” by many civilizations across the globe. Seaweed draws its powers from the wealth of riches found in the sea and is known to be rich in vitamins A, B, and C, magnesium, calcium, iodine, iron, linoleic acid and protein.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, men should consume 21 cups (17.5 cups for women) of marine vegetables like seaweed on a weekly basis. Like most other vegetables, seaweed is known to be low in calories, but exceptionally rich in other benefits. OROGOLD Cosmetics examines some of the main health benefits of adding seaweed into your diet and skin care routine.

One of the richest sources of Iodine
The main benefit of seaweed is that it is the best source of an essential nutrient that is missing from most other food items – iodine. Consuming adequate levels of iodine has shown to be important in regulating hormones and maintaining a proper thyroid.

Source of dietary fiber
Alginate, a fiber found in certain types of seaweed, can assist in the reduction of fat absorption and improving digestion. According to a study conducted by researchers working for the Newcastle University, seaweed containing Alginate helped in reducing fat digestion by more than 75%. This means that seaweed is particularly beneficial in lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels and assisting with weight loss.

Might help in improving heart health
OROGOLD came across a report in the Journal of Nutrition that mentioned the use of wakame to reduce/ prevent high blood pressure in animals. Researchers working for the Kyoto University have also shown that fibers obtained from brown seaweed helped in lowering the risk of stroke and blood pressure issues in animals.

Outstanding detox properties
Skin care and spa lovers instantly fall in love with products that contain seaweed extracts because of its ability to detox the skin. According to a study conducted by researchers from the McGill University, Canada, seaweed proved to be an exciting way of detoxing the body from strontium, a radioactive chemical. Moreover, seaweed also helped in clearing lead and cadmium, toxins that enter the body through pollution or cigarette smoke.

Regulating hormones
Seaweeds are known to be extremely rich in lignans, the plant substances that transform into phytoestrogens once they enter the body. According to Dr. Jane Teas, consuming kelp could actually be one of the main factors why countries such as Japan have low breast cancer rates.

Purifying the blood
Seaweed has a chemical composition that literally mimics the human blood plasma. This means that seaweed always acts as an outstanding blood purifying and regulating agent.

Antioxidant protection
Free radicals are substances that damage the collagen and elastin fibers present in our skin to leave us with an aged appearance. In order to fight free radical damage, you need to load your diet and skin care routines with antioxidants, ingredients that inhibit the free radicals from damaging your elastin and collagen fibers. Seaweed is known to be extremely rich in an antioxidant called lignan. This means that apart from offering a range of health benefits, seaweeds and seaweed extracts also offer a variety of skin related benefits as well.