Can you imagine people eating seaweed and various types of algae in the 21st century? Yes, we are talking about sea moss which is added to the list of ocean-borne, plant-based superfoods. The algae grow year-round in inlets and tidepools.
You’ll hear people calling it by different names like “Irish moss” or “carrageen moss.” It is a species of red algae primarily used to make carrageenan. Wonder what? It is a thickener and stabilizer commonly used in ice creams and other processed foods. Plus, it is often used as a vegan and vegetarian substitute for traditional gelatin, made from animal byproducts.
Let’s dig deeper to know its benefits and nutrition!
Benefits
The best thing about sea moss is that you can eat it on its own and use it for thickening your favorite soups and stews. If we talk about the rish sea moss benefits baked on our health and well-being, here we go:
Weight Loss
Sea moss’s iodine content may support a healthy metabolism and energy levels. Its increased bulk and moisture-absorbing ability may create the feeling of fullness and keep you from overeating. As it is rich in fiber, you’ll stay fuller for longer. This, in turn, will help process faster waste through the body, further aiding in weight management. Thus, both sea moss and bladderwrack Ashwagandha can help you feel sated with significant effects, using it as a part of your overall diet and exercise plan.
Muscle Recovery
Sea moss is rich in amino acid, which is very helpful in building muscles. While exercising, you may even notice little micro-tears in muscles. But you don’t need to worry as amino acids can cure the issue and help you recover faster.
Pro-Tip* You may even get on the go with sea moss capsules to make it easy for you to take the nutrient-rich algae without measuring every time.
Sex Drive
All of us are aware that sex drive is one of the common causes of breakup in relationships. It might be essential to have an improved sex life at one point. Using sea moss happens to be a natural solution for most people with 100% effectiveness. With increased libido content, you won’t have any feelings of low self-esteem in front of your partner.
Prevent Parkinson’s Disease
One of the excellent sea moss health benefits is that it may protect you against neurodegenerative disorders. It may slow its progression and reduce stiffness and slowness of movement. If someone around you is suffering from this issue, you may ask them to use sea moss in their routine and see what wonders it does.
Improve the immune system
If you are concerned with the immune system, sea moss may provide you with incredible protection against viruses, inflammation, and everyday aging. Being rich in potassium chloride, immune-boosting nutrients, zinc, and phosphorus, sea moss may help reduce inflammation, treat colds and cases of flu.
The list of Irish sea moss benefits for men and women both is endless. Keeping the above in mind,
Here we move on to its nutrition and preparation!
Nutritional value of sea moss
You may think of sea moss as healthy as it contains variable amounts of good nutrients and healthy stuff. As it is the product of the environment, the value of sea moss depends on where it grows. But it may contain some nutritional benefits, including:
- Calories: 10
- Protein: 0.5 grams
- Total fat: 0 grams
- Total carbs: 3 grams
- Fiber: 0.5 grams
- Total sugar: 0 grams
- Calcium: 1% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Iron: 10% of the DV
- Magnesium: 7% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 2% of the DV
- Zinc: 4% of the DV
- Copper: 3% of the DV
Side effects of sea moss
There isn't any specific way to consume sea moss as you won’t exactly know what is in it and how much. Sometimes, one batch may have a higher potency than the other. As every coin has two sides, similarly, there come a few sea moss side effects with benefits. They may be:
- You might consume too much iodine
- It may contain heavy metals
- Sea moss may have an unpleasant taste and texture
How to use sea moss or Irish moss
As discussed earlier, the most common method of using sea moss is in the kitchen as carrageenan powder (used to thicken liquids).
For instance, you can use carrageenan powder rather than gelatin powder while making cheesecake. If you continue this, then add sugar, salt, and other dry ingredients with this powder. Blend the dry and liquid ingredients like milk, yolk, and cream cheese, and blend until smooth. At last, pour the mixture into your pie shell and bake it. Yipee!!! You made it!
You might be surprised to know how strong organic sea moss is. It contains a whole lot of nutrients per serving. Here we see:
2 Tablespoons of sea moss contain:
- Calories: 5
- Fat: 0 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
- Sodium: 7 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 1 gram
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
In other instances, you may dissolve the carrageenan powder and heat it to form a sea moss gel. You can also consider this step before adding it to any of your recipes. You can even possibly create gel by cooking dried sea moss. But it will preserve its seaweed color and flavor with a coating of salt from the ocean.
How to prepare sea moss?
More and more brands are now popping up in the market that sells sea moss in various varieties, such as:
- Sea moss gummies
- Sea moss supplement
- Sea facial and skincare products
- Cocoa butter
- Body butter
- Capsules
- Sea moss gel
- Dog treats and more
You can now prepare sea moss yourself to enjoy it in plenty of ways. Integrate sea moss in the form of gel and use it in everyday food and drinks. Instances are:
- Baking: You can find an excellent alternative for replacing eggs in vegan baking activities to get the best Irish sea moss benefits.
- Beverages: You can blend the sea moss all together for a healthy and nutritious beverage.
- Jams and jellies: It will act as a firming agent for foods like jams and jellies. The best sea moss will be equally effective in the same way for treats such as cheesecake.
- Smoothies: You can add sea moss to your favorite smoothie and blend it to get a perfect mix.
- Soups, stews, and sauces: The primary use of sea moss is a thickener in soups, stews, and sauces for a heartier stock and various health benefits.
So, you can take a chance and get the best possible experience by adding sea moss to your daily routine. When it comes to where to buy sea moss, you can avail yourself of it from various food outlets and online stores. Seal and store it in a cool and dry place. Make it a more desirable dietary supplement without missing it out. Enjoy!