"A lot of people who like sushi don't really like raw fish or seaweed.” Guy Fieri
Full disclosure- I'm not a seaweed guy. I can count on half of one hand the number of times I've eaten Seaweed.
The closest I come to Seaweed on a regular basis is flipping through television channels and catching a few minutes of old SpongeBob SquarePants episodes.
Seaweed was part of the landscape in SpongeBob's hometown of Bikini Bottom. Seaweed shakes were on the menu alongside the venerable Crabby Patties. There was even a "Seaweed Dance" they would perform on occasion.
Healthy guts in Bikini Bottom were a given.
But in this article, researchers at Lund University have shed quite a bit of light on the process of fermenting Seaweed and all the associated gut health benefits.
Seaweed consumption has always been an integral part of Asian diets but the demand for seaweed has gradually moved west. This heightened focus has spawned research into everything from harvesting methods, environmental considerations, preparation methods impacting flavor profiles, and overall health benefits.
What caught my attention was not only the healthful impact seaweed has on your gut, but the methods and information Lund University discovered by fermenting seaweed.
Fermented foods belong on the gut microbiome "Mount Rushmore" for sure. But this study on fermented seaweed uncovered some surprising effects.
At Lund, they created a replica of human intestines, an intestinal simulator that can accommodate all sorts of experiments. In this particular case, they were able to compare the results from traditionally dried seaweed and fermented seaweed with lactic acid bacteria.
They tested the "waste" from the laboratory GI tract from the fermented seaweed and found that there were reduced heavy metals as well as increased amounts of short chain fatty acids. Not to mention the flavor profile of fermented seaweed is less "fishy" than the dried counterpart. And there was considerably less energy required to prepare fermented seaweed than the intense drying process needed for traditional seaweed.
This is yet another example of the power of fermentation and the health benefits we gain from incorporating fermented foods into our daily diets.
It appears I need to start adding more seaweed to my diet.
And I don't know about you, but watching SpongeBob SquarePants will never be the same again. We now know that Bikini Bottom is home to some of the healthiest guts on TV.
Thanks for reading,
Jeff
