Seaweed salad recipe & health benefits

Seaweeds, also known as kelp and are invariably present in Japanese food. Japanese being the greatest users of seaweeds, most seaweed or sea vegetable varieties are best identified by Japanese and Chinese names. Seaweeds are nothing but algae. They are packed with a number of nutrients and are the best source of minerals. As they are rich in nutrients, they have enormous health benefits. Trying out various types of seaweed salads is real fun. You can acquire many benefits from eating the healthy foods in seafood salad. Counting these kelp benefits and addition of more vegetables in preparation of the salad, makes it more nutritious.

Seaweed salad is a traditional Asian dish and generally it is made up of wakame seaweed, united with rice vinegar, garlic, scallions, apple, cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sesame seeds, sesame oil and sugar. Seaweed assists you to shed fat, while ginger helps to your digestive system and garlic provides benefits to your immune system. Before taking a look at the seaweed salad recipes, let us take a look at the health benefits of seaweed salads.

Health benefits of Seaweed salad:

Reduces Fat:

Seaweed is the main ingredient of seaweed salad, which has been proven to help you lose weight. According to a study published in the journal “Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication” in 2005, seaweed works by decreasing fat accumulation. The study found that wakame seaweed, like all brown seaweeds, contains a compound called fucoxanthin. Fucoxanthin was the active compound in seaweed that reduced animals’ weights by up to 10 percent according to the study’s authors.

Aids in Digestion:

Ginger is the seaweed salad staple. It has been used in traditional Asian medicines to help with digestion and stomach issues. Ginger is used in holisitc remedies and has gained popularity in the mainstream largely because of its health benefits. Also, ginger is used to relieve mild upset stomach, and is given to patients who are nauseated or vomiting due to pregnancy or chemotherapy.

Reduces Chronic Disease Risk:

Another beneficial ingredient that present in seaweed salad is apple. Apples are rich source of healthy chemicals called phytochemicals. Phytochemicals in apples have many health benefits. They may decrease the risks of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The phytochemicals in apples have been found to act as strong antioxidants by eliminating dangerous free radicals from your body. They also act as cancer cell inhibitors by stopping the growth of cancer cells.

Boosts Immune System:

Garlic has long been used in traditional medicines to cure and prevent illness. Primarily, it helps with illnesses by regulating your immune system. It boosts your immune system by helping your body to remove dangerous free radicals and heavy-metal intoxication.

Other health benefits:

• Seaweeds can certainly help slow down the process of aging.
• Seaweed salads are believed as appetizers or healthy snacks.
• Kelp, wakame, arame, nori, lava and dulse are commonly used seaweeds to make Japanese salads and seaweeds are also added to soups, stews and other dishes.
• The main ingredient of a seaweed salad is usually wakame, which has plenty of calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamine.

Seaweed Salad Calories:

A typical serving size, 2 ounces, of seaweed salad has about 70 calories, 50 milligrams of calcium, 10 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein. Eaten in restraint, seaweed salad can be enjoyed without breaking the calorie bank. Here is a list of different seaweed salads and the respective seaweed salad calorie count.

• Japanese seaweed salad calories, (Hissho Sushi), 56 gm: 70 calories
• Calories in seaweed salad, wakame, 201.8 gm: 216 calories
• Calories in kale with seaweed sesame salad, 57 gm: 49 calories
• Calories in seaweed salad, Whole Foods, 1 serving, 1/4th pound: 35 calories
• Calories in seaweed salad, (Ukrop’s Hissho Sushi), 113 gm: 141 calories

Seaweed Salad Recipes:

Seaweed Salad Recipe 1:

Salad Ingredients:

• Dried arame seaweed – 1/2 cup (soak seaweed in warm water to cover for 15 minutes – rinse, drain and chop)
• Fresh mushrooms – 1 cup diced
• Fresh ginger – 1 tsp grated
• red cabbage – 1 cup shredded
• Tamari or low sodium soy sauce – 2 tbsp
• Toasted sesame oil – 1 tbsp
• Sesame seeds for garnish
• carrots – 1 cup shredded

Method of preparation:

• Mix all the salad recipe ingredients (reserving the sesame seeds for garnish) in a large bowl and toss well to coat.
• Let the seaweed salad to marinate for at least an hour. So, the seaweed and the vegetables absorb the ginger, tamari and oil. This will provide the salad a nice deep flavor.

Seaweed Salad Recipe 2:

You Needs:

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 thinly sliced spring onions
• 3/8 oz dried wakame
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons vinegar

Method of preparation:

• Dried Wakame Needs to be Soaked in warm water for at least 5 minutes. Then drain them and put in a bowl of water. Quick soon remove and thrust into cold water
• Mix vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, and ginger in a bowl, make sure sugar dissolves.
• Then mix it with wakame.
• sprinkle sesame seeds and spring onion.
• Taste better when chilled in fridge.

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