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Seaweeds - nori, kombu, hijiki…
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This article looks at the more common types of sea vegetables, how to eat them and, more importantly, how much to eat.
The general guideline is to eat small amounts regularly, if possible on a daily basis. Some types of sea vegetables you can take more because their effects are less strong. Other types you should take only occasionally.
Nori
Nori is the sheet-type seaweed that is used for wrapping sushi. This is okay to eat provided you buy natural quality containing only nori – and no additives like sugar and MSG. Naturally favoured nori – with wasabi, cilli and other natural flavours – are okay too.
There is a great variation in quality. Good quality nori, such as those bought from organic food stores, are delicious. Some cheap types don't taste good at all.
Apart from eating nori with sushi, you can eat it on its own, or crumbled and sprinkled over salads, cooked vegetables, cooked grains and other dishes.
Nori is also sold in Chinese dried foods stores in the form of round "cakes" and small amounts are used in soups, such as in Teochew fish soup / fish porridge – which is actually rice soup, that is, rice served in soup, not rice cooked with plenty of water into a porridge.
Recommendation: Half to one sheet per day.
Kombu / Kelp
Kombu or kelp comes in long, thick strips. This is the type of seaweed used by the Japanese for making dashi, or soup stock.
Kombu was also the inspiration for monosodium glutamate or MSG – which was invented by a Japanese scientist who wanted to imitate the effect of kombu. But while MSG is harmful to health, kombu and other sea vegetables contain natural glutamates that promote health. Don't listen to MSG propaganda claiming that factory-made and natural glutamates are the same. They are not!
Apart from soup stock, kombu may be cooked in soup, with rice and other whole grains or cooked with beans. Kombu makes whole grains and beans more easily digestible.
Recommendation: Small amount, about 1 sq inch daily.
Hijiki
Hijiki comes in the form of short, fat strands. It looks like black speghatti or, if you don't like the look of it, then it looks like black worms ;-)
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Hijiki is commonly cooked as a side dish. It's quite easy to prepare:
Recommendation: Small as a small side dish, about 1/2 cup, once or twice a week.
Arame
Arame looks like a thinner and finer version of hijiki. But it is actually a leaf seaweed, just that it is normally cut into fine strips. The taste is also milder compared with hijiki.
For some reason, arame is more often found in organic and natural foods stores, but not commonly sold in Japanese supermarkets.
Cook it as you would cook hijiki.
Recommendation: Small as a small side dish, about 1/2 cup, once or twice a week.
Agar agar / kanten
Agar agar or kanten is usually made into “jelly“ desserts. It is sold as strips or small, light bars, and also in the form of flakes.
Sometimes, it is also sold in powdered form, complete with sugar, artificial flavouring, coloring, etc. Avoid these.
But even with natural agar agar or kanten, you need to be careful. Avoid those that appear very white. They have probably been bleached! The strips / bars / flakes should be slightly yellow / beige in color.
For a healthy agar agar / kanten dessert, prepare it with fruit juice, herbal teas and other natural beverages instead of using sugar plus artificial flavours and colors.
Recommendation: As a small serving of dessert once or twice a week.
Dulse is a red seaweed commonly eaten in Ireland and Northern Canada.
It is used in salads, soups. powdered and sprinkled over food and so on, much like how nori would be used.
Recommendation: Small amounts daily as an alternative nori.
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