My Super Food: Seaweed

Sarah Sathavipat NUTR 210 TR 8:00 AM Fullerton College Professor Crocker

Highlights of my Wellness Book

WB1 diet analysis processed foods too much protein and sodium high level of saturated and trans fats as well as simple carbs WB4 diet analysis more wholesome, nutrient dense foods more vitamins and minerals more water Wellness strategies Incorporate more physical activity, drink more water, limit/eliminate processed foods, and choose better alternatives

Highlights of my Wellness Book

What I've learned I did not realize how deficient I was in all nutrients when I analyzed my WB1 data but I have learned to combat that by planning out my daily meals with nutrient dense foods Not all food is good or bad but it is the choices you make and how you portion size those foods that can either lead to a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle Water is a highly important component to eating healthy and I need to incorporate it more into my diet

What is seaweed?
Seaweed is a wild ocean plant, also known as marine algae, which inhabits all the oceans in the world many species of sea vegetables, but only a few are consumed as human food
categorized by color: red, green, brown Popular American sea veggies: Dulse, Kelp, Alaria, Laver and Sea Coast Asian varieties: Nori, Wakame, Arame, Hiziki

What is seaweed?
Dont usually grow on sand because of the unstable surface which doesnt provide adequate hold Must attach themselves to solid surfaces like rocks, wharf piles, or even boats Do not need roots to receive water and nutrients
What looks like a root is actually an anchor AKA the holdfast

Simply absorb minerals, nutrients, and water through surface tissues from the sea

What is seaweed?
Minerals and Trace Elements
sea veggies provide all 56 minerals and trace elements, which exceeds those of land plants Major minerals: Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, and Iron Trace elements: Chromium, Iodine, and Copper These are essential nutrients for the body that help with all bodily systems! (ex. magnesium is needed for a healthy heartbeat and chromium works with insulin to regulate blood sugars)

How is seaweed harvested?

Rising Tide Sea Vegetables
growers association Mendocino County, CA Wildcrafting (gather by hand in the wild) Do not use machinery or motor boats Begins before dawn during lowest tides of summer and spring Wear wetsuits and bring gear into trucks

How is seaweed harvested?

There are different seaweed species so need special equipment to harvest each one With Kambo, use wheelbarrows, kayaks, knives, buckets, and recycled bags Go wait-deep into water and use special cutting knives blades of seaweed only cut off. This allows plant to reproduce and keep growing Sun dried on drying surface stored in cool storage room and then packaged

How is seaweed good for me?

Rich in minerals and trace elements like calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc. Provide vitamins, fiber, enzymes, and protein Like other vegetables, they contain phytochemicals which absorb and fight against radioactive elements and heavy metals Inhibits tumor formations, reduces cholesterol, and has anti-viral properties

Nutritional Info
MAINE COAST Laver Seaweed (Nori), Dry 1 oz. (28.35 g)
Calories: 90.31 kcal Protein: 8.06 g Carbohydrate: 12.8 g Total fat: 1.3 g Dietary Fiber: 8.59 g Vitamins Thiamin: 0.16 mg Riboflavin: 0.85 mg Niacin: 1.66 mg Vitamin B6: 3.16 mg Vitamin B12: 4.98 ug Vitamin C: 3.4 mg Vitamin A (RAE): 60.75 ug Vitamin E: 0.98 mg Minerals Calcium: 53.46 mg Iron: 5.91 mg Magnesium: 107.32 mg Potassium: 761.39 mg Zinc: 1.17 mg

Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

Ingredients: 2 cups of short-grain rice (makes 4-6 rice balls) 1-2 dried unseasoned seaweed sheets, cut into strips Warm, salted water for your hands 1 piece of oil-packed tuna or salmon Squirt of mayonnaise Furikake (Japanese rice seasoning)
Instructions 1. Cook the rice as you normally would. Set aside a small bowl of warm, salted water for keeping sticky rice off of your hands. 2. For tuna/salmon: try to squeeze out the oil and be sparing with your use of mayo. Flake the tuna/salmon and mix thoroughly with the mayo. 3. To form the rice balls, scoop about a handful of rice and form into a ball. Use your thumb to make an indentation for the filling (tuna/salmon and mayo), then using the palm and fingers of one hand wrap the rice around the indentation. Use the palm of your hand to form the "base" of a rough triangle. Wet your hands with the salt water to distribute flavor into the rice and to keep your hands from getting sticky. 4. You can create "hard" edges with your palm or by smushing down an edge onto a wet cutting board. The idea is to keep the rice compact, but not overly mashed. When you're done, lay a strip of seaweed like a little hat on top, or bisecting one of the sides of the rice ball. 5. Sprinkle a bit of Furikake seasoning on top of the onigiri. Its ready to serve!

Works Cited
http://www.loveseaweed.com/default.html http://www.oceanvegetables.com/harvesti ng-seaweed.html http://www.nzunderwaterlife.000space.co m/seaweed.html http://www.cengagebrain.com http://asiansupper.com/recipe/onigirijapanese-rice-balls