Nestled along the rocky shores of the North Atlantic, sea moss is a type of red algae rich in vitamins and minerals. Although this unique ingredient only recently emerged as a TikTok trend and beauty hack, it has long been revered for its medicinal properties.
Read on for the top sea moss benefits currently being studied, plus a closer look at some other types of seaweed worth trying.
What is sea moss?
Sea moss is a type of red algae found naturally in the shores of the North Atlantic. Also known as red seaweed, Irish moss, or Chondrus crispus, sea moss is often harvested and used to extract carrageenan, an ingredient that acts as a thickener, stabilizer, and binder in products like almond milk, ice cream, deli meats, and more.
Sea moss has recently experienced a surge in popularity and has even been hailed as a superfood for skin and gut health on TikTok and across social media. However, it’s actually been around for quite a while. In fact, it’s been used as a natural remedy for everything from diarrhea to dysentery for thousands of years and was also added to herbal teas to help combat colds. Interestingly, sea moss was even added to milk and used to prevent nutritional deficiencies in Ireland during the potato famine of the 1800s.
Sea moss has a mild flavor that’s often described as earthy and slightly salty. When it’s enjoyed fresh, it has a soft, gel-like texture, whereas dried sea moss offers a slight crunch. However, it’s not often eaten on its own and is usually paired with other ingredients to help tone down the taste.
How do you use it?
Sea moss is typically available in gel, flake, or powder form. While many people on social media opt to consume a spoonful of plain sea moss in the morning to reap its benefits, the seaweed can easily be added to smoothies, sauces, and desserts to help mask the flavor.
It can be consumed as a supplement in the form of gummies or capsules too, but you’ll want to be careful about sourcing your vegetable supplements. You can also find sea moss in many skin care products, such as serums, creams, and moisturizers.
Despite its newfound popularity, you’re unlikely to find sea moss sitting on the shelf at your local supermarket. Instead, your best bet is to check online or purchase it at a specialty store that offers herbal products or other types of edible seaweed.
Sea moss nutrition
Though sea moss is usually consumed in small amounts (about a spoonful), each serving can boost your intake of several essential vitamins and minerals. In fact, just 2 tablespoons of raw sea moss provide the following nutrients:
- Calories: 5
- Fat: 0.02 gram
- Sodium: 6.7 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 1.2 grams
- Fiber: 0.1 gram
- Protein: 0.2 gram
- Iron: 0.9 milligram
- Folate: 18.2 micrograms
- Riboflavin: 0.05 milligram
- Magnesium: 14.4 milligrams
Sea moss is especially rich in iron, an important micronutrient needed for neurological development and the production of healthy red blood cells. It also contains B vitamins like folate and riboflavin, which play a key role in energy metabolism. Plus, it’s rich in iodine, a mineral that helps regulate thyroid health.
Health benefits of sea moss
While there’s not much research on sea moss itself, many of the nutrients and compounds it contains bring some promising health perks to the table. Below are some of the top potential sea moss benefits. Note that much of this research has been conducted on animals, so more studies are needed before we can be sure these benefits stand up in humans:
It may help keep your skin glowing.
“Sea moss is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are essential for maintaining healthy skin,” says Ife J. Rodney, M.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics. “These vitamins and minerals are anti-inflammatory, help balance oil, and may moisturize the skin.”
According to Rodney, sea moss also contains sulfur, which can help reduce sebum production to clear out clogged pores. “It may also support collagen production, which is crucial for maintaining skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” Rodney tells mindbodygreen.
While there are not a lot of studies on the effects of sea moss on skin health specifically, some research suggests that its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties could alleviate acne. What’s more, science shows that the carrageenan found in sea moss could also act as an antioxidant and protect against sun damage.
It may promote gut health.
Eating sea moss can be a way to add some extra fiber to your diet, according to clinical nutritionist Barbara Sobel, M.S., CNS, LDN. “Fiber is the part of the plant protein that we don’t digest but that the bacteria in our gut metabolizes into short-chain fatty acids and uses for fuel,” says Sobel. She also explains that fiber also contributes to the health of the gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem comprised of trillions of microorganisms in the digestive tract.
One animal study found that sea moss could act as a prebiotic to improve gut health and enhance the composition of the gut microbiome in rats. Other research suggests that certain compounds in seaweed could increase the beneficial bacteria in the gut, which could potentially aid in the prevention and treatment of disease. Still, more studies are needed on humans.
It may support immunity.
Sobel points out that the gut-boosting benefits of sea moss could also be beneficial for immune health since gut health plays a key role in regulating immunity. (In fact, it’s estimated that up to 80% of the body’s immune cells are housed in the gut.)
Once again, research in humans is lacking. However, a 2018 animal study showed that sea moss could stimulate immune activity in mussels. Another animal study found that sea moss extract was able to reduce the growth of Salmonella enteritidis (a strain of harmful bacteria) while also increasing the immune response in roundworms.
It might aid weight loss.
Because the body doesn’t have the enzymes required to metabolize carrageenan, it’s not digested and is instead considered a type of fiber. Increasing your intake of fiber could promote weight loss by slowing the emptying of the stomach, increasing feelings of fullness between meals.
While there are no studies specifically on sea moss for weight loss, some research in animals has found that seaweed could help curb weight gain by preventing the production of fat cells. This may be due in part to the presence of fucoxanthin, a compound found in seaweed that’s been shown to have anti-obesity properties.
It may improve heart health.
Thanks to its content of fiber and antioxidants, adding seaweed to your diet could help keep your heart healthy and strong. In fact, a recent study found that increased intake of seaweed, in general, could be linked to a reduced risk of stroke in men. Similarly, a 2019 study reported that higher seaweed intake was associated with a lower risk of ischemic heart disease.
Another study found that supplementing with carrageenan (a compound in sea moss) could decrease cholesterol levels by 16.5% and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol by 33.5%, which could help prevent plaque buildup in the arteries. Still, more research is needed to evaluate the effects of sea moss on heart health.
It may help stabilize blood sugar levels.
Some research suggests that seaweed could help keep blood sugar levels in check. It’s believed that certain nutrients found in seaweed could help slow sugar absorption and delay the emptying of the stomach to reduce spikes in blood sugar levels after you eat. Researchers have also theorized that seaweed extract could block certain enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion and protect against high blood sugar caused by oxidative stress.
Still, there haven’t been any studies evaluating the effects of sea moss specifically. Additionally, other studies show that eliminating carrageenan—an ingredient derived from sea moss—could actually improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control in people with prediabetes. Therefore, more studies are needed.
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Source: Mind body green
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