Summer sun, sea and surf; Can seaweed in our diet help support our hormones?
Written by Jo Davies
Roll on our good old New Zealand summer!
Sunshine, beaches, swimming, surfing, fishing, barbecues and summer food. It’s so good for the soul.
What if I told you there’s a food source linked to our oceans that helps our hormones, is a rich source of minerals, contains omega three fats, carotenoids and flavonoids (fancy names for compounds that help us combat ageing and disease), protein, even nutrients such as B12 and calcium, and it’s not a fish, it’s a plant! Plus, it stores well and isn’t expensive.
We are talking seaweed.
Also known as algae, seaweed is a regular addition to many diets in Asian countries, and Japan’s high seaweed intake may be one reason they have the highest life expectancy in the world.
So, what’s kelp then I hear you ask? Kelp is also a marine plant and comes under the seaweed umbrella. It’s a particular type of brown seaweed and is actually one of the most nutritious.
Seaweed in general is a super-rich source of the mineral iodine and this little gem helps support our thyroid gland and the hormones it produces. This small gland sits in our neck and controls so much. Sluggish, cold, heavy and hairy? Yep the thyroid can be responsible for all of that!
The iodine in seaweed keeps the thyroid gland doing what it is supposed to do. Insufficient iodine can lead to an underactive thyroid also called hypothyroidism (think hypo: low). This can promote fat storage and weight gain. The weight gain itself can also disrupt hormones.
Good nutrition is like dominoes, one improvement helps another and so on…
We also know that good gut health helps balance hormones!
Eating probiotic rich foods every day promotes gut health which boosts our happy hormones. In nutrition everything effects everything!
Living Goodness has created a product that contains seaweed and thus helps many systems of wellness in the body. Super Superkraut combines the wonderful hormone balancing qualities of a particular kelp called wakame (in oriental medicine wakame is used for blood purification, intestinal strength, skin, hair, reproductive organs and menstrual regularity).
Include seaweed’s like wakame to your salads and summer barbecue dishes (our latest Sweetened Ginger, Seaweed and Super Superkraut Salad is a winner) to enhance your wellness plan. Devour this nourishing addition along with the surf, sun, and beach for a complete summer experience.
Reference | Tsugane S. Why has Japan become the world's most long-lived country: insights from a food and nutrition perspective. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2021 Jun;75(6):921-928. doi: 10.1038/s41430-020-0677-5. Epub 2020 Jul 13. PMID: 32661353; PMCID: PMC8189904.
Jo Davies
Photographer/Nutritionist, Be Well Clinic Taupō
BCApSc, BSc | jodaviesphotography.shootproof.com
kyndwellness.com | 53 Gillies Ave, Taupō | PH: 0272740687
E: jodavies@xtra.co.nz