by Sharon Quercioli

You might have seen it in the stores. You might have had some with sushi. You might even see your friends snacking on the dried versions. Seaweed. Last year, everyone was gaga over kale; this year it is all about seaweed. The name doesn’t sound very appealing, does it? Well, let’s learn a little more about it to help ease your worries, anxieties, and inhibitions.

There are a dozen different types of seaweed that we can eat. Here are three of the most common:

• Nori – this is the type that is used in most sushi dishes as well as the dried and salted variety that you can eat like chips.
• Kombu – this is the type that is often used to flavor sashi – which is a soup stock. You can also eat it fresh in dishes like sashimi. It can also come pickled with sweet- and- sour style flavoring.
• Sea Lettuce can be eaten raw in dishes like soups and salads.

Why Is It So Good For You?

Seaweed in general has high levels of iodine, which helps normal growth and development. It is also a good source of dietary fiber. Algae in particular has a host of obscure enzymes that can help break down the various complex sugars that normally can’t be digested by your gut. However, the downside to this is that it releases gas in the process – which is why things that are high in fiber (like beans) can often make you feel bloated.

Seaweeds are also low in calories and fat, while being tasty at the same time. This means that you can eat seaweed without having to worry about gaining too much weight – of course, that will mainly depend on what you eat with the seaweed.

They can help you control your appetite. Because it is packed with fiber, it can make you feel full and can help you control your blood sugar. Feeling full on only a few calories? Yes please!

There is so much protein in seaweed! Because of this, studies have also shown that it can help your body block the absorption of fat.

General Sushi Recipe

• For this you will need sheets of sushi nori. You can see that they are scored so that you can easily cut the sushi rolls into even pieces.
• You will also need your favorite vegetables cut into thin strips or julienned.
• Sushi rice
• Cooked strips of softened meat or raw sushi cut fish
• Sushi rolling mat which is covered with cling wrap (to help keep it clean – it difficult to get those small pieces of rice out of the mat).

First, lay the nori on the mat. Place a couple spoonsful of the rice on the matt. Spread and pat down the rice, forming it into the general shape of the nori (a rectangle or square). Careful not to tear the nori because it will be sticky. In a line, along the center of the rice – running parallel to how the mat rolls – place a line of your favorite strips of vegetables and meat. Then, using the mat, carefully roll the sushi up so that it looks like a tube. Cut along the perforations. Viola! Sushi! Enjoy!