Sep 01 2010
Why Seaweed Could Be The Answer To Numerous Of Today’s Troubles
There have been a number of research projects conducted by Texas Tech in conjunction with Mississippi State University and Virginia Tech. One project shows cattle that grazed forage which had been treated with seaweed extract, or the animals fed directly with seaweed meal and extract, had obvious positive results on the animals immune systems, weight gains, carcass quality and the shelf-life of finished meats. The lead researchers included Viven G. Allen, Ph.D., Thorton distinguished professor of forages in the department of plant and soil science, and Kevin Pond, Ph.D., chairman of department of animal science and food technology.
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department wrote that an experiment for 7 years with dairy cows (seven pairs of identical twins) showed an average increase in milk production of 6.8 percent that lead to 13 percent more income. A trial involving two groups each of 900 ewes showed that those fed seaweed meal in a two-year period maintained their weight much better during winter feeding and also gave a larger wool production.
This along with other articles on seaweed only illustrates what benefits there are in feeding seaweed to animals, spraying forage areas and crops with seaweed extract and eating seaweed by us humans. It is only now that we in the Western world are realizing the nutritional value of seaweeds, with its flavour, variety, and the health giving benefits these can make available. The sea contains all 92 minerals for nutrition and seaweed growing in the sea would have access to all these minerals.
Seaweed is the richest source of minerals in the vegetable kingdom, is an excellent source of magnesium, iron, sodium and calcium as well as a source of vitamins A, B1, C, E and K. Seaweed is classed as a wild food and completely organic. Seaweed contains a wide mix of concentrated protein and healthy carbohydrates, is a superb source of iodine, could balance the body’s pH with its alkaline forming effect, is low in fat and very low in calories as well as being high in glyconutrients.
It seems that seaweed isn’t just good for our bodies. Brown seaweed, commonly known as kelp, made the news when it was reported that it could be farmed and used to produce biofuel. The key advantage to using seaweed is that it does not entail arable land or water resources for farming it.
Seaweed is ever-increasing in popularity and most health shops now stock many different seaweed varieties. As with all foods, the ultimate importance is ensuring that the quality is of a high standard. Many of our seas are polluted and the sea vegetables will soak up those toxins and contaminants. Be sure to source high-quality and organic seaweed products for the best health benefits.
