Kelp: An All-Around Superfood

Kelp is one of our tried-and-true superfood favorites, a brown sea algae that’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and has incredible benefits for both your health and the environment. 

Kelp is a low calorie, nutrient dense plant that grows in shallow, nutrient rich seawater. As it grows, it absorbs powderful nutrients, electrolytes, and enzymes from the water. Because it exists in saltwater, it contains high amounts of iodine, a mineral that plays a key role in thyroid function and metabolism.

Kelp is also one of the best plant based sources of calcium — which is great for a fully plant based diet! Kelp is a staple food of Asian cuisines, and studies have found Asian populations have one of the lowest rates of osteoporosis, despite the lack of dairy in Asian cuisine!

Kelp contains a wide variety of antioxidants including carotenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, vitamin C, manganese, and zinc. These antioxidants fight against free radicals in your body to reduce oxidative stress, which is linked to a long list of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. 

Some recent studies have suggested kelp may have fat absorption blocking properties due to one of its fibers: alginate. These studies found that alginate may block intestinal fat absorption, leading to weight loss. 

Kelp is not only great for your health, it’s incredible for our planet! Rising carbon levels create increased carbon deposition in our oceans, which leads to ocean acidification because carbon is a negatively charged ion. Kelp has a high carbon uptake and storage capacity, so its growth helps to decrease the carbon in our oceans, reducing ocean acidification.

Kelp noodles are quickly becoming our favorite high fiber alternative to pasta, and we feel great about doing so much good for our bodies and the environment!