Sea Vegetable Cultivation in Indonesia

I recently found this video about sea vegetable cultivation in Indonesia. Although not a traditional cultivation mode (like land farming), sea vegetables are a new source of income for Indonesians. This is especially important because increased drought and over farming of the land has made traditional farming increasingly harder. Sea vegetables give these people chance to raise their standard of living.

Although this is great for the Indonesian economy, I'm concerned about water pollution, overcultivating, overharvesting, and their methods of growing. The seaweed cultivated in Indonesia is exported for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, ice cream and other food fillers, and countless other things. Because sea vegetables easily absorb pollution from the water, I'm concerned about the water pollution in these areas since Indonesia has a lot of environmental issues related to overpopulation and poverty.

I was also concerned to see that they are using plastic bottles to suspend the sea vegetables in the water for better growth and (maybe) easier harvesting. I wonder if sea vegetables can also absorb plastic particles?

Hello My Name Is: Bladderwrack

images from algaebase.org

Bladderwrack, is a brown algae easily recognizable by its small gas filled vesicles that occur in pairs.

Aliases: Fucus vesiculosus, black tang, rockweed, bladder Fucus, sea oak, black tany, fucus tips, cut weed and rock wrack

Growing habitat: Bladderwrack grows on the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States and on the northern Atlantic coast and Baltic coast of Europe.

History: Bladderwrack was the original source of iodine, discovered in 1811 and used to treat goitre (caused by iodine deficiency). Bladderwrack was also historically used in a healing tea.

Nutrition: Bladderwrack has varying levels of iodine and is thought to be a good source of iodine. Contains magnesium, protein, vitamins A,C,K, and E, bromine, zince, iron, potassium.
Uses: Great in quick cooking dishes. Do not use in long cooking dishes (will turn gelatinous).

Preparation: Rinse under cool running water for a minute and then soak in water for 20 minutes. Chop/use according to specific recipe.

Recipes:
Bladderwrack Tea

Hello My Name Is : Sea Palm

images from algaebase.org

Sea Palm is a brown algae that is very mild tasting with a soft and crunchy texture. As its name suggests, it looks similar to a mini palm tree.

Aliases: Postelsia palmaeformis, palm seaweed

Growing habitat: Sea palm thrives in tubulent waters of the North America, harvested by hand from April thru June. The more turbulent the waters may increase nutrient absorbtion, and reduce competition for rock position. Sea Palm grows on rocks attached by its root-like holdfast. It spends most of its time growing exposed to air due to its long stipe (stem). It can grow to about 2 ft in height and at the top of its stipe grows about 100 leaf-like blades. When in the formation stages, sea palm is green but eventually turns to brown as it matures.

Important Notes: It is illegal to recreationally harvest this sea vegetable. Cutting the stipe prior to spore production can threaten populations. Licensed harvesters use a specific method that reduces impact. Due to their restricted habitat, short life span, and limited power to regenerate, they cannot tolerate heavy harvesting.

History: Before Europeans entered the area, Sea Palm was know by the natives as Kakgunu-chale. It was first scientifically described by Franz Josef Ruprecht in 1852.

Nutrition: Good source of Vitamin A & D, other than that there seems to be little nutritional analysis mentioned anywhere

Uses: Both the blades (leaf-like) and the stipe (less commonly) are edible. Sea palm is delicious raw or sautéed and added to soups or salads.

Preparation: Cover sea palms with water and soak for 20 minutes. Separate the fronds from the stipe and use according to recipe.

Recipes:
Sea Palm Lasagna
Sea Palm with Peanuts
Sea Palm and Cucumber Salad
Sea Palm Salad

Companies To Produce Biodiesel From Seaweed in Italy

Italian biodiesel producers led by the Union of Biodiesel Producers have found a way to use seaweed instead of corn/rapeseed to produce biodiesel. The efforts are targeted to finish in 2010, and with that would come the building of a manufacturing plant.

The producers hope that using seaweed will eliminate the debate over using food to produce biodiesel. In light of my research and decisions to start adding sea vegetables as food, I would disagree that this new process moves away from that debate. Treehugger notes that the Italians might actually be using algae and not seaweed, since the word for algae and seaweed are the same in Italian. If they are in fact using algae and not "seaweed" or "sea vegetables," then this would be a great solution. If not, the problem still exists.

And that brings us to a clarification of the difference between algae, seaweed and sea vegetables:

• Algae is "a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms (about 30,000 species)
  
• Seaweed is a loose term used for "macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae" (includes red, brown, green algae) (courtesy of Wikipedia
• Sea Vegetable is the term for edible seaweeds (algae) that are used as vegetables
  

I find it really interesting to keep learning the numerous uses for seaweed/sea vegetables and can only imagine the uses we haven't yet discovered.

Hello My Name Is : Laver

images from algaebase.org

Laver, (Wild Nori) is harvested in the North Atlantic (Ireland, Wales, Maine) and in Northern California. Unlike nori, its not sold in sheets. Fresh, it looks lettuce-like.

Aliases: Porphyra umbilicalis, P. leucosticta, p. perforata, P. Nereocystis, wild nori, purple laver, sloak, karango, chichoy

Growing habitat: Laver grows in cold, mid-intertidal zones of the Northern & Southern hemispheres. It grows off of rocks or rockweed.

Nutrition: High in B vitamins, iodine, protein, (30% protein), vitamins E + C

History: Laver cultivation is believed to go back to ancient times in Wales and Scotland. Laverbread (made from laver) is a traditional welsh delicacy.

Uses: used in laverbread, can be added to steamed veggies to add extra taste, can be pan/oven roasted and added to other dishes

Preparation: If roasting, make sure to pull apart the leaves and check closely for tiny shells (remove these). Roast in an 250–300° F oven for 5 to 8 minutes on a cookie sheet or heat in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat until crispy.

Recipes:
Laver Mushroom Tofu Scramble
Wild Laver Onion Omelette
Toasted Dried Sea Laver
Buckwheat Noodles With Laver

Hello My Name Is : Alaria

images from algaebase.org

Alaria (ah-LAR-ree-yah) is a kelp that is a salty version of wakame that grows in Ireland, Great Britian, Greenland, Scotland, Iceland, Faroes, Norway, France, Helgoland, Netherlands, Alaska, Labrador, Maine and Massachusetts. It is used in soups, stews, casseroles and usually comes cut into strips.

Aliases: Wild Atlantic Wakame, Alaria esculenta {N. Atlantic}, bladderlocks, tangle, winged kelp,

Growing habitat: Its olive brown fronds grow btw 6 and 12 feet and it has a midrib with wavy membranes. Alaria generally grows on rock in very exposed places often forming a band at low water and in the shallow subtidal, but also occurring in tidal pools in the lower shore.

Nutrition: Its comparable to sesame seeds in terms of its calcium content, has high vitamin A (similiar to spinanch), good iron, potassium, and magnesium.

Uses: Can be used interchangeably with wakame (but use 1/3 less alaria than wakame). It also takes longer than wakame to cook. Maine Coast Sea Vegetables has more info here.

Preparation: Alaria requires a lot of soaking and rinsing to tenderize. Soak for 30 minutes, drain water and then soak again for another 30 minutes.

Recipes:
Alaria Miso Soup
Alaria Seafood Chowder
Rice Tomato Soup with Alaria
Grilled Oysters Wrapped in Alaria
Alaria Chips

Sea Vegetables from the Perspective of a Natural Doctor (ND)

I was privileged to talk with Dr. Cecilia Hart, a great Natural Doctor (ND) in Berkeley today to get her perspective on sea vegetables. I feel like getting a range of medical opinions on eating sea vegetables is helpful to myself and (hopefully) others. Here's a transcript of our talk.

Q: Who do you recommend eat sea vegetables?
A: Everyone, but the thing with sea weed and digesting it is you have to start with a small amount. So usually titrate the doses. It takes your body awhile to produce the enzymes to break it down. This is similar to when vegetarians start eating meat again and need to start slowly. So start with a small amount and then increase the doses. Sea weed contains a lot of iodine which is particularly helpful with certain breast disorders, overall breast health, and thyroid health.

Q: What exactly does eating sea vegetables do for the thyroid?
A: Iodine is a key factor in the conversion of the less active form of the thyroid hormone to the more active form. If you don't have enough iodine, you can't make that conversion very well.

Q: Can you talk a little about iodine in terms of hypothyroid conditions?
A: There are many reasons why someone would have hypothyroid disorders. One of the reasons could be an iodine deficiency because its needed for that conversion.

Q: How much would you recommend someone with a history of hypothyroidism eat sea vegetables?
A: It would really depend on what the numbers are from the labs that test for thryoid levels.

Q: Do sea vegetables have more nutrients in them than land vegetables?
A: They have more iodine and are pretty highly dense in protein compared to other green vegetables. They are also dense in calcium, iron, etc. They contain 10-20% protein which is pretty dense. Nori has 50% protein, which is pretty amazing. They have good eye antioxidants (luteins) for eye health. Eating sea weed helps with detoxification and helps to bind heavy metals.

Q: Hijiki has been found to contain a high level of inorganic arsenic. Does the body absorbs this? Do you recommend that people eat hijiki?
A: If we know that it is high in inorganic arsenic, we should NOT eat it.

Q: What do you suggest in terms of "organic" vs non organic certified sea vegetables?
A: I don't really understand the certification, but I would definitely try to avoid consuming heavy metals.

Q: Do you recommend that people eat them whole in soups vs. a supplement or tincture?
A: Cooking is always better, but its not always realistic for some people, so that's why we have the tinctures and supplements.

Q: Are there any people that you would recommend NOT eating sea vegetables?
A: Certain people who have too much iodine already like in hyperthyroid situations.

Hello My Name Is : Arame

photos from algaebase.org

Arame, (AIR-a-may) meaning "rough maiden" is a species of kelp that grows on the Pacific coast of north and South America as well as in Japan and China. Because it has a mild, sweet flavor and is a good introduction to sea vegetables. It comes in thing threadlike brown strands and superficially resembles hijiki.

Aliases: Eisenia bicyclis, E. arborea

Growing habitat: Arame grows below the tide line. It has 12 inch long wavy fronds that are about 1/2 inch wide and grows on the rocks below the water line. The fronds are usually sliced into thin thead like strips that make them look a lot like hiziki.

History: Arame was traditionally harvested my Japanese women divers

Nutrition: Arame is a rich source of calcium, zinc and iodine.

Preparation: Soak dried arame in fresh water for 5-15 minutes and drain. Avoid oversoaking because arame can quickly lose its flavor.

Uses: Can be substituted for hijiki in any recipe. Can be added to soups/stew, sauteed with land vegetables, steamed, or used in salads.

Recipes:
Hiziki or Arame with Carrots and Onions
Japanese Arame Salad
Kale with Seaweed, Sesame and Ginger
Arame Salsa
Arame with Dried Lotus Root
Arame Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Am I too Cautious?

I'm starting to wonder if I'm being a little too methodical about this process? On one hand I want to educate myself about sea veggies before I start chowing down, but on the other hand I'd like to start introducing them into my diet. I'm getting to the point where I feel informed enough to be comfortable eating them, but I also feel like I could research + sift through secondary research forever! The main health concern questions have been answered through my research, so I think I might be ready for more cooking to happen...

Hello My Name Is: Hijiki

photo from algaebase.org

Hijiki, (he-JEE-key) is a porous brown sea vegetable that is not commonly seen on the menus of Japanese restaurants since it's used mostly for homely home cooking. It comes in dried form and when reconstituted swells to about 5 times its original weight. Hiziki takes years to mature.

Aliases: hiziki, Hizikia fusiforme, chin tsai, nongmichae, pig's foot vegetable

Growing habitat: Hiziki grows wild in shallow waters on the rocky coastlines of Japan, Korea, and China.

Nutrition: Hjiki has more calcium than other dried food source as well as having a high protein count. It is also high in fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and magnesium

History: Hiziki has been a traditional part of the Japanese diet for centuries. It is believed to enhance hair quality, strengthening it, and adding luster. Many Japanese credit eating of hiziki for their lustrous black hair and Japanese girls were told to consume bowlfuls of it.

Uses: Best eaten with other SVs,

Preparation: Dont' start with too much since it will quadruple in size! Wash under cold water and soak for an hour, rinse well (make sure to get rid of any sand) and discard soaking water. Be careful to press out any excess water. To use in grain dishes, stuffing, salads, burgers, or croquettes, boil the hiziki for 15 to 20 minutes prior to combining with the other ingredients. For hiziki and vegetable side dishes, cook the hiziki for 25 to 35 minutes with vegetables and season with Shoyu Soy Sauce near the end of cooking.

Additional Notes: see post about arsenic & hijiki. Four countries have issued warnings about hijiki, but none have banned it.

Recipes:
Simmered Hijiki Recipe
Chang Chang Hijiki Salad
Hiziki Sauté
Braised Hiziki with Sweet Potatoes & Black Soybeans

An Addendum to Arsenic & Hijiki Post

I found some additional information that might help with the decision to eat/not eat hijiki. On the New Zealand Food Safety Authority's (NZFSA) website, I found this info:

Hijiki seaweed was added to New Zealand’s high risk foods list after it was found to contain levels of inorganic arsenic that were higher than the regulatory level. Exposure to low levels of organic or inorganic arsenic is not a health concern, however consumers are advised not to eat large amounts of hijiki seaweed.

Arsenic In Sea Vegetables ... What Do You Think?

Arsenic Warning Poster | Source: archives of the USDA APHIS Pest Survey Detection and Exclusion Laboratory

Early in my introduction to sea veggies it was suggested that I should do some research about the arsenic levels in SVs. Sea vegetables are like a sponge — they have the ability to absorb minerals from the water and to hold onto them in their cell walls. This is the reason why sea vegetables contain more good minerals than most land vegetables. On the other hand, this means that they can also absorb contaminants in the water such as arsenic, lead and cadmium. For this reason, sea vegetables are often used as a monitor for how polluted waters have become. (More on the topic of SVs as a monitor for water pollution in a later post)

Inorganic arsenic is found in pesticides, paint, and other manufactured chemical compounds. Its is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Organic arsenic however, is not connected to health problems in humans and is found in most sea vegetables & seafood.

Among all sea vegetables hijiki in particular absorbs the highest levels of inorganic arsenic. In 2001 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a fact sheet entitled, Inorganic Arsenic and Hijiki Seaweed Consumption. It was their recommendation in this fact sheet that consumers not eat hijiki at all because of its high levels of inorganic arsenic.

In this really interesting and thorough response, Eden Organics (a large SV supplier) presents these compelling arguments against the CFIA findings:

• The Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare posted a statement July 30, 2004 on the Internet stating that, "There are no records of cases of arsenic poisoning as a result of the arsenic content of sea vegetables."
• The CFIA and the FSA failed to inform consumers that all of the negative research regarding inorganic arsenic was performed on various species of laboratory animals often injecting or feeding them very high amounts of pure inorganic arsenic chemically extracted from various sources. There are no cases of arsenic poisoning in either laboratory animals or humans who where fed hijiki, or any other sea vegetable in whole form, which contain many valuable nutrients and compounds such as organic arsenic, referred to as arsenosugars.
• Several studies have demonstrated that organic arsenic compounds are changed to inorganic compounds during arsenic testing due to the highly acidic nature of the testing mediums used, specifically hydrochloric acid, sodium borohydride, methanol, nitric acid, sodium hydroxide and other chemicals, as well as micro waving. It is a common laboratory practice to soak sea vegetables in these acid compounds before and during testing.[ Organic arsenic is not reported to cause negative health]
• Rather than being a source of heavy metals in the diet, sea vegetables have been shown to cleanse the body of heavy metals and other toxins. Alginate or alginic acid is a polysaccharide that is abundant in sea vegetables, especially brown sea vegetables including hijiki, wakame, kombu and arame.

At the end of their rebuttal they offer this advice to consumers which I tend to agree with given this new information:

As a distributor of several varieties of sea vegetables, including hijiki (hiziki) we feel confident, after reviewing all the documented scientific evidence, that EDEN Hiziki does not pose a health risk when eaten in moderation as part of a healthy balanced diet and when properly cleaned and soaked, as has been done in Japan for centuries. We would like to encourage our consumers to follow our package directions: "wash, soak for 15 minutes in warm water, drain, rinse well and discard the soaking water."

I personally trust the quality of their SVs and so I am comfortable eating hijiki once in awhile. I wouldn't neccessary make them a weekly staple though. My TCM (see my post about the radio call in show) also thought it was fine in moderation unless the individual had arsenic sensitivities. For everyone else, I would urge that people make their own decisions about eating hijiki or not. Maine Sea Coast Vegetables makes this statement that sums the situation up:

Because sea vegetables are as low on the scientific research priority list as they are on the food chain, we have to infer in part from studies of other food groups, as well as use our native intelligence and intuition.

More on the topic here.

Sydney's Seaweed: Dirtiest on Earth

photo from http://www.sciencealert.com.au

I found this article, Sydney's Seaweed: Dirtiest on Earth today from April 08 that was pretty alarming. Due to water pollution, Sydney's seaweed was found to be concentrated with copper, lead and zinc. Because of this, small crustaceans that feed on the sea vegetables are dying! The sea vegetables absorb the heavy metals and when the crustaceans feed on them they can't tolerate the amounts.

"The habitats that we sampled within Sydney Harbour contain among the highest concentrations of metals yet identified in brown seaweeds," says study lead author, UNSW biologist, Dr David Roberts. "In seven of the 10 sample harbour sites, we measured copper concentrations in one seaweed species that exceeded levels known to threaten small crustaceans. These concentrations exceed all previously scientifically reported levels."

Luckily Sydney is NOT on the list of places that sell sea vegetables for human consumption. Even so, it is an indicator of how water pollution (through sea vegetables) is upsetting the natural eco system.

An Honest Confession

For me, this blog has been foremost about exploring sea vegetables as a viable, sustainable, and foragable food source. Most importantly, its been about doing this in a responsible way— without putting myself or anyone else who reads this blog in jeopardy of negative health consequences. For that reason I am doing as much research as I can before focusing on the eating part.

Because SVs aren't part of our traditional western diet, most people tend to have limited or no information about them to begin with. The info I've been finding has been through extensive web research, the limited supply of books about sea vegetables, and through first hand medical practitioner advice (both western + eastern). This information is scattered and has been at times, somewhat contradictory and confusing.

The overall hope is that getting my information from a wide range of sources will give me a better understanding of this topic. This understanding will inform my decisions about eating SVs and hopefully inform/inspire others.

So although this journey is not without its obstacles and frustrations, I'm still optimistic that what I find will be really valuable to myself and hopefully others. In short thanks for coming along on this journey with me!

Sea Vegetables on Call In Show

Calling in on the (TCM) radio show Thursday morning was really informative. The show was only an hour long, but the host (my TCM practioner) was really generous and talked to me for 15 minutes about sea vegetables! To listen to the show, visit this link and click on "The Balancing Point Podcast" up at the top and then the podcast link for 10/16/08.

Some answers to my questions:

• Q: Who shouldn't eat sea vegetables?
  People who can't tolerate heavy metals (like arsenic) should avoid kelp SVs supplements. Supplements contain a more concentrated form of the vegetables and a more concentrated amount of arsenic. Even supplements from really high quality health food stores & companies have been found to have really high levels of arsenic in them.
• Q: Where should people get sea vegetables?
  SV grown in Mendocino are really high quality even despite the local water pollution because of the direction of the tides. Also, try to get organic SVs if you can.
• Q: What about water pollution?
  Try to get the dried/fresh SVs from the best sources you can, but don't worry too much about pollution if you're getting it from a reputable source (preferably west coast) unless you're taking supplements (see above).
  
• Q: What about iodine in sea vegetables and overall health?
  70% of U.S. population (at least) are iodine deficient and every glandular part of the body needs iodine to function properly. Eating SVs help clear up iodine problems (listen to podcast for specifics). Iodine in SVs is better than iodine in salt which is hard to absorb and utilize by the body and not enough for the body tissues to remain healthy.
• Q: In terms of thyroid problems how can SVs help?
  SVs can help hypo/hyperactive thyroids, but should be done under the care of a medical practioner. In small children, small amounts of SV (like in miso soup) are ok, but not iodine supplements.
  
• Q: Cooked or raw?
  Cooked is better than raw and easier for most people to eat. SVs in soups are great because cooking + soaking tenderizes them.
  

MSG in Sea Vegetables?

image from http://www.donotenter.com

When I first started looking for sea vegetables at grocery & health food stores, I was concerned because some of the kinds/brands I found (particularly the nori which is processed) said they contained mono sodium glutamate (MSG). MSG can cause some pretty bad symptoms in certain people. The most prominent symptoms are numbness at the back of the neck, gradually radiating to both arms and the back, general weakness and palpitations... all in all, not so good.

After poking around, I found that sea vegetables are the original food source that monosodium glutamate (MSG) was mass-produced from in the early 1900’s. Sea vegetables in their natural form, contain the amino acid glutamic acid. When this acid is broken down by cooking, it becomes glutamate. Stabilizing that with sodium (salt) creates mono sodium glutamate. MSG is now manufactured by a process using fermented molasses, wheat or corn.

But getting back to the important discussion here about sea vegetables and MSG, I found out that eating plants that naturally contain glutamic acid does NOT cause the adverse reactions that manufactured MSG causes. Here's a more detailed explanation of why:

Any small amounts of free glutamic acid that might be found in unprocessed, unadulterated, and/or unfermented, food will be L-glutamic acid, only, and will not typically cause adverse reactions in MSG-sensitive people. This should not be confused with the glutamic acid that occurs in or on food as a consequence of manufacture, which typically causes adverse reactions in MSG-sensitive people providing that they ingest amounts that exceed their tolerances for MSG.

BUT: products contained MSG only need to be labeled so if they contain manufactured MSG... so read the labels. If the package on your nori (or other sea vegetables) says it has MSG in it, don't buy it. (unless it specifically says its naturally occurring). They could have added it in the processing.

There's a really interesting article here about Professor Ikeda and how he created and patented MSG in 1909. Also an interesting article about how Asian cultures don't believe MSG is harmful here.

Sea Vegetables on the Radio!

If you're in the Bay Area on Thursday October 16th I'll be calling into THE BALANCING POINT : An Innovative Radio Talk Show About Traditional Chinese Medicine from 8:00 - 9:00 AM, KEST 1450 AM. The host of the show, John Nieters is my TCM practitioner and I have a bunch of questions about sea vegetables I want to ask him in relation to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Tune in...

Hello My Name Is : Kombu

images from algaebase.org & http://www.bichel.dk & http://z.about.com/

Kombu (COME-boo) is a long brown and thick sea vegetable from the kelp family (genus Laminaria). It is an important ingredient in Japanese, Chinese and Korean cultures and an essential ingredient of dashi, a flavorful stock.

Aliases: konbu, dashima, laminaria

Growing habitat: It is found on almost every coast. All parts of the plant are used and the broad leaves grow up to thirty-three feet in length! Kombu is usually harvested in the summer with long hooked poles and dried in the sun.

Nutrition: rich in protein, calcium, iodine, magnesium, iron and folate. kombu also provides healing and soothing mucilages that coat the lower digestion tract relieving peri-anal inflammation, colitis, and constipation.

History: Kombu has been used in Japan dating back to the Jōmon period (from 14,000 BC to 400 BC). In the 1960's kombu arrived in the U.S. due to the influence of the macrobiotic diet. Currently in Japan, special boutiques sell nothing but kombu and kombu products, of which there are more than 300!

Uses: Kombu is very mild in flavor and can be added to soups, cooked with beans (helps tenderize them + add nutrients+ speed cooking time + make more digestible), eaten raw, pickled, crumbled up and used as a seasoning,

Preparation: Wash dried kombu under running water to eliminate any sand or extra salt (optional). Dried kombu needs to be simmered for at least 20 minutes to soften it and flavor the liquid. If used only for flavoring stock, the kombu itself is removed from the simmer liquid at the end of cooking and discarded.

Recipes:
Kombu Dashi (Traditional Japanese Soup Stock)
Sweet Wakame and Ginger Kale Salad
Noodles & Broth
Land and Sea Vegetable Salad
(Pickled) Garlic in Kombu Soy Sauce Tsukemono
Lightly Pickled Cucumbers and Wakame Sea Vegetable

Organic Sea Vegetables?

I've been wondering if there is such a thing as an "organic" sea veggie— and it turns out that there is! In 1992 Maine Coast Sea Vegetables was the first processor world-wide to receive organic certification for its sea veggie harvesting and handling procedures by the Organic Crop Improvement Association International (OCIA). What does being certified organic actually mean? Maine Coast Sea Vegetables answers that question on their site:

This means that each harvester must monitor their beds for sustainability. They must keep their freshly picked plants clear of possible contaminants throughout the harvest transport, drying and packing process. They are randomly inspected to insure compliance. We also test plants for contaminants that are water born, such as heavy metals, PCBs, herbicides, pesticides, E. coli, yeasts and molds.

Another site I found mentioned this in relation to what the organic certification means:

seaweed harvesting waters and sediment must be free of "significant contamination from residential, municipal, commercial, or industrial waste, emissions, tailings or affluent [sic]." They cannot be within twenty miles of a nuclear facility or three miles of an industrial or sewage discharge.

Some of the sites, like Emerald Cove Sea Vegetables had a few products that were certified organic by the Quality Assurance International (QAI). I had a hard time finding any official documentation about specifics on either of these certification organizations' sites. Stay tuned on that topic...

Dulse Tapenade!

This is the first sea vegetable recipe that I've tried so far. I figured it would be wise to bulk up on info before I started integrating the sea veggies into my diet, but I couldn't resist making this recipe right away. Its really tasty and took me 5 minutes at most. I've been eating it spread on rice crackers or on bread. There is a slight fishy taste, so if you're not used to that (I'm not), it might take a little bit getting used to. You can read about dulse here.

The recipe came from the book, Sea Vegetable Celebration, and is also found here on Maine Coast Sea Vegetables' website.





Dulse Olive Tapenade
Serves 2–3

Ingredients
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
One 6 oz can pitted black olives, drained
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup Dulse Flakes

Put the garlic cloves, olives, oil and dulse in the work bowl of a food processor, and puree until smooth. Or you can squeeze the garlic in a press and hand chop the olives until very fine, then stir in the olive oil and dulse.

Per serving: Calories 115, Protein 1 g, Fat 15 g, Carbohydrates 4 g, Fiber 25 g, Calcium 59 mg, Sodium 536 mg

Hello My Name Is: Nori

images from wikipedia.org &

Nori, (NOR-ee) processed (and farmed) red algae Porphyra is typically what westerners envision when they think of sea vegetables. It is used to roll suishi and onigri. It also has the highest protein of all sea vegetables (between 25-28% protein).

Growing habitat: Nori grows close to the shoreline in sheltered inlets that are infused with fresh water. It grows wild in many parts of the world but in the Far East it is exclusively cultivated. It is grown in the ocean attached to nets at the surface of the water and is mechanically harvested 45 days after it seeds. The algae is harvested and then made into sheets by a process of shredding and rack drying. Harvesting can be done either by hand or by suction machines.

Important Buying Info: The less expensive the nori, the lower quality it is. The highest quality nori is hand harvested. It can be bought raw or toasted. Cheap types of Nori are sometimes artifically dyed and chemically treated. Do not freeze nori— it becomes inedible when thawed.

Nutrition: high in fiber, protein, calcium, minerals, and vitamins A, B, C

History: Nori dates back to the 8th century and is now a two billion dollar industry in Japan

Uses: Nori is typically used to roll suishi or onigiri or as a garnish for soups. It can be eaten by itself as a snack. Nori is also used to feed saltwater aquarium fish and algae eaters such as hermit crabs.

Preparation: If you buy raw nori, you need to toast it before using (carefully over an open flame works) until it turns a bright green color. Otherwise roll or crumble it up!

Recipes:
Winter Nori Roll (raw & vegetarian)
Cucumber Nori Rolls
Nori Rice Salad

Sea Weed Baths!

Ha! I stumbled upon this spa in Sebastopol, CA : Mermaid Spa and Seaweed Bath Shop that gives Seaweed baths, Seaweed Muscle Soothers, and Seaweed Body Wraps! I'll admit that I wouldn't mind trying one, but it seems a little ridiculous to be using "Micronized Mediterranean kelps" when there's plenty of kelp in California! Very strange...

Seaweed baths are traditional in Ireland dating back to Edwardian times. Here's some info on doing it yourself. If you're going to Ireland and want the real thing, check these out:

Kilcullen's Bath house
Cliff House Hotel

Recreational Harvesting in California

I found this great article today by Alastair Bland and am still reading through all the interesting info in it. This is a section I wanted to share with everyone that I found particularly interesting about legal recreational harvesting of sea vegetables in California:

DIY kelp harvesting

Those interested in harvesting sea vegetables on their own may do so with nothing but a California fishing license and a very minimum of specialized equipment. The leafy ends of most algae and kelp are quite tender and make for the best eating; snip off the tips and leave the rest of the plant. Remember that state law forbids taking more than 10 wet pounds of seaweed per day per person.

As a general rule of thumb, most seaweeds are safe to eat. One variety, though, which resembles a feather boa, gives off a sulfury aroma, and when sun-dried, baked and eaten, it will fill your mouth with a thick, unpleasant burning paste that turns your teeth green. (Of course I've done it myself, and for days I dared not smile.)

Its was really interesting for me to learn that you need a CA fishing license in order to legally harvest sea vegetables as a recreational harvester! I checked the California Deparment of Fish and Game and it looks like someone would specifically need to get an Aquaculture Registration. Good to know... and especially good to know about the kind that turns your teeth green!

Agar Agar — Vegan Gelatin Substitute

Gelatin is traditionally made from the collagen of connective tissue (gross) in animals, making it super vegan UNfriendly. Agar Agar is a vegetarian gelatin substitute made from red algae. Agar agar is used in baking, as a thickener in soups, as a laxative, and in ice cream. Eden has some great recipes that include agar agar in them here.

Hello My Name Is: Dulse

images from algaebase.org

Dulse (pronounced as it looks) is a red algae that grows on the northern coasts of the Pacific and the Atlantic. Its often called "red kale" or the "beef jerky of the sea". It has a chewy, stringy texture and a nut-like flavor.

Growing habitat: Dulse fronds are 6 to 12 inches long. The plant attaches to rocks by a "holdfast," and grows in cold, turbulent waters on rocky shores (Pacific & Atlantic). Harvesting occurs from May through October when the plants are picked by hand during low tide and then sun dried.

Aliases: Palmaria palmata, Crannogh, Darusu, Dulce, Dillisk, Goéman à Vache, Neptune's Girdle, Raa-ts, Red Kale, Saccha, Sea-grass, Sheep Dulse, Shelldulse, Sol, Sou Sol, Tellesk, Water Leaf

Nutrition: Dulse is a good source of vegetable protein, iron, potassium, magnesium, iodine, chlorophyll, enzymes, Vitamin A, Vitamin B's, and dietary fiber. It is said to have the highest concentration of iron of any food.

History: Dulse has been been harvested for thousands of years in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Iceland. At the beginning of the 20th century it was often found in railroad stations as a snack.

Uses: Dried dulse can be chewed as is, pan fried, baked, chopped up and and added to soups or salads. Crumbled up it can act as a seasoning. Most people prefer to eat it not cooked because it gets mushy quickly. It can be bought in its whole form or as seasoning.

Preparation: If you're preparing to cook dulse: inspect for small shells; quickly rinse to tenderize and reduce saltiness; and chop or snip for use. More info can be found here.

Recipes:
Garden Salad with Dulse and Walnuts
Popcorn with Dulse
Chef Ken Bereron's Serendipity Smoked Dulse and Red Miso Dressing (scroll down)
American Dulse Pesto Sauce
Avocado Dip with Dulse Flakes
Dulse Chickpea Salad
Dulse Olive Tapenade
Dulse Vegetarian Pizza

Hello My Name Is: Wakame

Images from algaebase.org

Wakame, (meaning "young girl" ) (Wa-KAMAY) like all sea vegetables is a type of algae. Wakame is specifically a type of (edible) kelp. that's been grown for centuries by Korean and Japanese sea-farmers. Its blades are 2 to 4 feet long. Wakame is extensively used in miso soup.

Aliases: Alaria Marginata, Undaria pinnatifida,

Growing habitat: Wakame is native to Japan and thrives in turbulent waters. The plants will grow up to 20" long in water up to 40' deep. Harvesting is mostly in the spring from boats with the use of a rake or pole.

Nutrition: Wakame has high levels of protein, calcium, iodine, magnesium, iron and folate. It is close in nutritional value to Kombu.

Uses: Can be put in soups or used in salads; used in miso soup; roasted; deep fried; or eaten fresh. Like Kombu, it can also be used to aid with softening other foods (like beans).

Preparation: Rinse under cold water and soak dried wakame in a bowl of water to rehydrate for about 30 minutes (note: will grow about 10 times of what it was dried) until soft. Remove from water and reserve water for broth — the water contains a lot of nutrients. Cut out the central vein(rib) and chop according to recipe.

Recipes:
Cucumber and Wakame Seaweed Salad (Sunomono)
Seaweed Salad
Miso Soup
Cool Weather Miso Soup

Sea Vegetable Shopping

This weekend I picked up a bunch of sea vegetables to start cooking with. I was most interested in finding sea vegetables from the Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company because it was the most local source that I had heard of. So when I went to Berkeley Bowl this weekend, I was psyched to see a display filled with sea vegetables from Mendocino that wasn't there last week.

Knowing that I wanted to try all the different kinds and not sure if they would carry the sea vegetables next week, I grabbed a huge variety (I think I grabbed every kind they had). The packages were about $5 per pack. This is what I got:


Sea Palm Fronds, Sea Whip Fronds, North Atlantic + Flaked Dulse


Wakame and Kombu



I especially liked their hand drawn labels and simple packaging which gives them a more personal, local feeling. Each package has a hand written slogan specific to environmental conservation. Clean Energy Now, Keep Our Oceans Wild, Harvest Within the Natural Flow, Stop Offshore Oil & Gas Exploration and Protect Our Arctic Refuge are some of the slogans on each label. The back side of each label has handwritten recipes specific to the sea vegetable in the bag.

I don't know quite enough about sea vegetables yet to fully understand how different the quality is between local product and product from Asian countries and other parts of the world, but it made sense to me to try and get local first as much as I can.

That being said, before I went to Berkeley Bowl, I went to the Alameda Natural Grocery to check out their sea vegetable supply. They didn't have any from Mendocino, so I picked up a bunch of Eden sea vegetables not knowing that Berkeley Bowl would have what I needed. Eden is a great company with sustainable practices and on their sea vegetable faq they mention:

Eden Sea Vegetables are the highest quality in the world, cultivated or wild, hand harvested in pristine, environmentally protected seas. All Eden Sea Vegetables, except Eden Organic Dulse, come from Japan where they are continuously fed and cleansed by Arctic Currents, and collected off shorelines that are protected as national natural treasures

It was important to me that they are hand harvested (like Mendocino's). Eden also has a great sea vegetable recipe page which will be helpful figuring out what I can make with all of these sea vegetables! These are the types I got:


Eden Kombu & Wakame

When I got home from the store I put them in a dark dry cabinet as recommended. High temperature & humidity can start to break down the vitamins in the sea vegetables after awhile, but sealed and stored properly they can last for years.

Book Resources

Here are some of the books I'm currently pouring through for information on sea vegetable cooking, foraging and nutritional benefits. I'll let you know how they turn out.


Cooking with Sea Vegetables by Peter Bradford and Montse Bradford


Sea Vegetable Gourmet Cookbook and Wildcrafter's Guide by Eleanor Lewallen, John Lewallen, and Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company


Sea Vegetable Celebration: Recipes Using Ocean Vegetables by Shep Erhart and Leslie Cerier


Vegetables from the Sea: Everyday Cooking with Sea Greens by Jill Gusman and Adrienne Ingrum

Juel Andersen's Sea Green Primer: A Beginner's Book of Sea Weed Cookery

Why Sea Vegetables?

My interest in learning more about sea vegetables, (commonly known as seaweed) comes from advice given to me by my Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner. As a quick background, I've been going to see this person for 2 years and have had really great success with TCM. Its really helped me to be more healthy and more aware of my overall health. Also, in comparison to western medicine which is a couple hundred years old, TCM is a couple of thousand years old.

In my family all of the women have a history of under active thyroid glands. The thyroid controls a important functions in the body, like regulating metabolism and controlling growth. When people develop hypothyroidism, the symptoms (tiredness, depression, weight gain) can be really severe. There are many causes for hypothyroidism, but deficiency in iodine is the major cause. The western treatment for an underactive (hypo) thyroid condition is a combination of drugs that are synthetic versions or animal-derived thyroid hormones.

Because I'm genetically predisposed to this condition, I was told by my TCM practitioner that increasing my sea vegetable intake could help lower my chances of developing it myself. With that in mind, I've decided to learn more about sea vegetables so that I can incorporate them more into my food. I'm deciding to focus on 3 main objectives:

1. To learn about sea vegetable types, accessibility, nutritional benefits, medicinal qualities. The personal aspect of this objective is to learn how to incorporate sea vegetables consistently into my personal diet. Documentation will include images, recipes and personal thoughts on the experience.

2. To learn about the harvesting of sea vegetables from documented sources and (hopefully) through talking with people who already participate in this activity. I would also like to experience the harvesting firsthand by visiting one of the sea vegetable companies in Mendocino, CA and participating in the harvesting.

3. To learn about the environmental issues surrounding sea vegetable growth in terms of water pollution, harvesting, sustainability, etc. This ties into objective 2, because I'm personally curious to know where its safe to forage for sea vegetables.

Sea vegetables are a highly nutritious whole food option that most people (with the exception of asian cultures) don’t regularly incorporate into their diet. Sea vegetables are also interesting because they're part of the limited food category of food that still can be foraged for.

So that being said, this is where I'm starting from.

What is a Sea Vegetable?

Wikipedia defines "Sea vegetables" as : seaweeds that are used as vegetables.