If you want to be poetic, you can say that dried seaweed tastes ‘like the ocean.’ But the truth is, it tastes kind of … fishy. Not 100 percent. More like plant and fishy. However, this vegetable of the seas is not only one of the most nutritious foods you can have but scientists are discovering that consuming more seaweed can help combat climate change. Basically, by eating seaweed you could be saving the planet.

And if you like having sushi, you’ve already had the most popular type of seaweed — nori. Almost black, it’s a dark green, dried seaweed pressed into sheets and used to wrap sushi rolls. It’s also used in soups and other dishes. But be warned: since nori is dried, hydrating it in any form will enable it to expand. Nori is also used to add a bit of ‘salt’ to traditional Japanese cuisine. One sheet, which equals to one sushi roll, contains only 13 calories.

Having seaweed might’ve become trendy only recently, but it’s actually been consumed for thousands of years — mostly in Korea, Japan and China. There are over 10,000 species of seaweed.

Do you want to have a superfood that’s not only great for your health but can also save the planet? Look no further than to the splendid seaweed

Why is it a superfood: Move over kale, there’s a new super green in town. Seaweeds are rich in protein, fibre and folic acid. All types of seaweed contain a large amount of minerals including copper, iodine, iron and calcium. It is also very low in calories.

They also contain a healthy amount of Vitamin K — also present in kale, spinach and other leafy greens which helped boost their superfood status. A fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin K is crucial to bone health and contributes in the body’s ability to heal wounds. It aids in the production of four out of 13 proteins needed for blood clotting.

Most importantly, seaweed contains a substance called fucoidans, which is often attributed as the secret to the longevity of the Japanese. It’s believed to help contribute significantly to the body’s immunity, contributes to cardiovascular function and overall life expectancy.

Seaweed should be consumed in moderation. There can be too much of a good thing. The biggest danger is consuming too much iodine. And like anything sourced from the sea (including the fish that we eat) seaweed can also absorb environmental pollutants such as cadmium and arsenic, which can damage your liver and pancreas. To be safe, it is recommended that you buy store-bought seaweed from companies who have tested their products rather than foraging in the sea for your own.

How are you saving the planet by incorporating seaweed in your diet: Doubtlessly, it’s the food that a lot of marine animal-friends that search for food in the sea eat. It’s their food. But it can also be ours. We can share. In fact, recent studies have shown that we absolutely should.

Global population of humans is expected to rise from the current 7.3 billion to 9.8 billion people by 2050. All of these people will need to be fed and our current model of producing food is doing more harm than good — an estimated 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil is lost because of intensive farming. When it comes to our oceans we have already depleted around 90 percent (yes, you read that right) of the world’s fish stock.

According to a report, titled Food from the Oceans, published by the Science Advice for Policy from European Academies (SAPEA) — a consortium involving more than 100 European science academies — “The oceans are home to a large number of resources that are either not exploited or are marginally exploited currently.”

Which of these ‘unexploited’ resources are they referring to? Seaweed. Why? Because seaweed and other species of algae only need sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to grow. All of these are in abundance and in free supply in the ocean. According to the report, seaweed could be a game changer.

Where can you have it: It goes without saying that, when it comes to the usual suspects, most Japanese and Korean restaurants in Pakistan serve dried seaweed with their entrees. Supermarkets known for stocking foreign exotic foods also have boxes of dried nori. You can also order some online. When it comes to restaurants that have seaweed in their menu, what stood out for me was a little gem I discovered at The F Word — a new health food restaurant opened by the 42-day challenge duo Nusrat Hidayatullah and Torsam Tajik.

From their (currently) very limited menu (they don’t even have coffee yet!) I picked the strawberry and seafood salad and fell in love. There are additional greens, no lettuce (which most restaurants use as salad fillers but which actually have no real nutritional value), blobs of divine homemade low-fat cheese, some rice noodles and nuts. It’s a very nutrient-heavy dish. The serving, at first glance seems small but by the time you’re finished having it, it’s just the right amount of food. You have the sweetness of the strawberries balanced by the leafy greens, cheese blob and … the saltiness of the seaweed. Each bite is a quiet little explosion of flavour in your mouth.

Published in Dawn, EOS, October 7th, 2018