An all-round tonic
In Ireland and the Caribbean, seaweed-based drinks and soups are drunk as a regular pick-me-up, or after an illness. Greg Lampert, director of the herbal course at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, UK, said, "Kelp is used to reduce phlegm and soften hardness; it also promotes urination and reduces swelling." Others claim it has gastric qualities and acts as a hangover cure.
Goes well with other healthy foods
Let's face it, you're not going to have seaweed with a side of fries. With its strong, smoky flavor, you're hardly likely to binge on the stuff, either. But it goes well with sushi, tofu, miso soup, salads, vegetable stews and stir-fries, and plates of greens. It's probably the synergistic effects of all those healthy ingredients that keep Japanese women slim and the Okinawans living past 100, as well as giving people on macrobiotic diets (of which seaweed is a staple) lustrous hair and glowing complexions.
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