Adding seaweed to our diet provides 5 reasons to feel better with seaweed. Our customers tell us they have more energy and enthusiasm for life. There is no question that adding seaweed to our diet makes us feel better. There is sound scientific reason for the health and wellbeing improvements that happen when you take seaweed every day. Here are just 5 reasons to feel better with seaweed and their main benefits according to published peer-reviewed science.
1 of 5 Reasons to feel better with Seaweed is your Liver is Cleansed
The liver is a manufacturing and storage plant for all the nutrients, enzymes and proteins our body uses every day. It is also the major filtration system for removal of toxins and metabolic wastes. Unfortunately, the western diet causes the liver to become clogged with lobules of fat and then inflammation sets in. This interferes with the liver’s ability to do its job. Toxins begin to build up and vital molecules fail to reach the cells where they are needed. Seaweed removes the fatty build and halts the inflammatory response, so the liver begins to function properly again. [1]. In Professor Brown’s work, the inflammation of the liver is the first sign they see in their rats on a seaweed diet.
2. Inflammation is reduced
Inflammation is a cascade of biochemical and cellular responses designed to protect the body in case of injury or infection. Our modern lifestyle and diet mean we face infectious agents, pollutants and minor injury daily. When you add stress into the mix the process of inflammation becomes chronic leading to disease in the body. Seaweed reduces inflammation in two major ways. Sulphated polygalactan in seaweed works like aspirin to stop the inflammation process [2]. The prebiotic activity of seaweed promotes good gut bacteria that release a variety of anti-inflammatory molecules into the body[3]. So out joints are more free and overall inflammation is reduced. Reduced inflammation also means less energy is diverted to the immune system. Hence, we feel less tired.
3. Thyroid Function is Better
Iodine and tyrosine are the key molecules needed to produce thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones control metabolism at the cellular level and are necessary for proper functioning of all systems in the body. When iodine and tyrosine are in short supply thyroid hormones aren’t produced and metabolism is sluggish. This is experienced as weight gain, lack of energy and feeling cold all the time. Seaweed has healthy levels of bioavailable iodine and tyrosine for optimal hormone production and thyroid function.
4 of 5 Reasons to feel better with Seaweed is Sodium Potassium Balance Improvement
Sodium and potassium are related elements that are vital to life. The western diet tends to be high in sodium but low in potassium, so over 98% of American adults are potassium deficient. Signs of low potassium include fatigue, muscle weakness or cramps and constipation. Diets low in potassium are also known to cause hypertension. Seaweed is high in potassium but low in sodium (4 to 1 ratio) thus can correct the sodium potassium balance. When balanced, potassium makes muscle contraction easier, including the muscles in the arteries, so less effort is required, and fatigue is reduced.
5 of 5 Reasons to Feel Better with Seaweed: Brain function improvement
Seaweed contains many different neurotrophic factors that increase neural connections and generate new cells in the brain. Plant sterols in seaweed create an enriched environment for increased cell connections resulting in improved memory and quicker cognition. [4] Seaweed is also rich in the ancient molecule taurine that helps generate new brain cells. [5] Tyrosine increases dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain, creating feelings of motivation, reward and decreased fatigue, and this has been linked to enhanced performance.[6]
References
[1] S. Wanyonyi, R. Du Preez, L. Brown, N. A. Paul, and S. K. Panchal, “Kappaphycus alvarezii as a food supplement prevents diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats,” Nutrients, vol. 9, no. 11, p. 1261, 2017. (Open Access)
[2] F. Makkar and K. Chakraborty, “Antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory potential of sulphated polygalactans from red seaweeds Kappaphycus alvarezii and Gracilaria opuntia,” International Journal of Food Properties, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 1326-1337, 2017. (Food Online)
[3] I. Sekirov, S. L. Russell, L. C. M. Antunes, and B. B. Finlay, “Gut microbiota in health and disease,” Physiological reviews, vol. 90, no. 3, pp. 859-904, 2010.
[4] G. Tirtawijaya et al., “Spinogenesis and Synaptogenesis Effects of the Red Seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii and Its Isolated Cholesterol on Hippocampal Neuron Cultures,” Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, vol. 24, no. 4, p. 418, 2019. (pubmed)
[5] M. L. Cornish, A. T. Critchley, and O. G. Mouritsen, “Consumption of seaweeds and the human brain,” Journal of Applied Phycology, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 2377-2398, 2017. (SpringerLink)
[6] P. Watson, “Tyrosine Supplementation: Can This Amino Acid Boost Brain Dopamine and Improve Physical and Mental Performance?,” Sports Sci. Exch, vol. 28, no. 157, pp. 1-6, 2016. Reference