by Patty Donovan
(Health Secrets) People have eaten seaweed, sometimes called “sea vegetables” for thousands of years. Now seaweed is coming under scientific scrutiny and what they scientific community is finding is pretty amazing.
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Chemically, seaweed has many similarities to the human body. The mixture of vitamins, minerals and trace elements found in seaweeds closely resembles that of the human body. This means that the minerals and other healing elements found in seaweed are easily absorbed through the skin and digestive tract and into the blood of humans. Some people are beginning to believe seaweed alone is an almost perfect solution to many health woes.
Seaweeds are virtually fat-free, very low in calorie, and are the richest sources of minerals in the vegetable kingdom. Because they grow in the sea, seaweeds naturally absorb an abundance of the minerals found in the ocean. They contain large amounts of calcium and phosphorous and are extremely high in magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium. Seaweed also contains a wide variety of vitamins including vitamin A, B1, C and E, concentrated protein and healthy carbohydrates. It may well be the most nutritionally-packed food on the planet.
There are many kinds of seaweeds, generally broken down into reds and browns, and each type has its own nutritional and health profile. Some of the newest discoveries related to seaweed focus on compounds in brown algae, specifically new compounds found in the seaweed called Ecklonia cava. These compounds are being hailed as “super” antioxidants.
One such compound, Eckol, has been shown to protect lung cells from oxidative damage. Fibroblast cells from hamster lungs were exposed to hydrogen peroxide and other known oxidizers to intentionally induce cellular damage. Eckol was shown to scavenge these radicals and thus prevent damage. The oxidation of lipids is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease and blocked arteries. Oxidized lipids are also implicated in the blood clots leading to heart attacks and strokes. Eckol actually reduced cell death in the lung cells exposed to the hydrogen peroxide!