Nutrition

20 Sea Moss Benefits and Nutrition

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Sea moss is one particular species of edible red algae, a member of the genus Chondrus crispus. Also referred to as carrageenan moss or Irish moss, sea moss has been used for centuries throughout cultures not only as a source of food but also as a remedy plant.

Sea moss is a nutrient-full food source and entails a great deal of benefits associated with it. We have brought a guide that will help you get through the different sea moss benefits and the nutrition profile.

1. Improves Thyroid Function

Supercharge your thyroid with the power of sea moss! This wonder from the ocean contains an incredible punch of iodine, which is a much-needed mineral that your body wants in order to make thyroid hormones.

This is beneficial for those who are already facing hypothyroidism (iodine-related thyroid troubles).

This condition leaves your body so deficient in iodine that it cannot make those all-important thyroid hormones. Ingesting sea moss will give your thyroid everything that it needs to function correctly.

2. Sea Moss Boosts Metabolism

Supercharge your body's engine with the most incredible power of sea moss! This oceanic superfood is a ticket to a turbocharged metabolism.

Sea moss will flood your system with iodine, that magic ingredient for which your thyroid has been begging. Watch as it fine-tunes your thyroid hormone production, maintaining a hot and steady burn in your metabolic furnace.

It is also packed with potassium and calcium. These mighty minerals spring into action, supercharging your nutrient metabolism and cranking up your energy production.

3. Aids In Weight Loss

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Sea Moss is loaded with nutrients but does not have many calories. The essential nutrients obtained by consuming sea moss can help in weight management by supplying all the essential nutrients (that come with low calories).

The soluble fiber in the sea moss also has a big role to play. The fibers provide a feeling of fullness and prevent you from consuming extra calories.

The boost in healthy digestion related to these fibers also makes a noticeable impact on weight management. 

Sea moss also has the potential to clear out all the toxins in the body, which is capable of interfering with the digestion process. Also, the blood sugar level is balanced by sea moss, which reduces the chance of sugar cravings.

4. Blood Pressure Management

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Sea moss has a significant amount of potassium. This mineral when available in the body can prevent the body from the effects of sodium which is hypertension.

The magnesium mineral present in the sea moss also helps in lowering blood pressure. The consumption of sea moss is related to blood vessel relaxation, promoting blood flow inside the vessels at a normal rate.

Overall, the balance of electrolytes in the body, good health of the heart cells and the cholesterol balance can be achieved by incorporating sea moss into daily diet, which in turn ensures blood pressure management.

5. Supports Immune Functioning

Sea moss constitutes vitamin C and A, which are important for good immune functioning.

These vitamins, together with other phytochemicals, may act like a barrier to the unfavorable free radicals within the body. In return, it always keeps the immune system covered and fully functional.

Long-term inflammation affects the overall efficiency of the body's immune system. Sometimes, chronic inflammation can damage and destroy the immune cells and bring down the whole immune system.

The anti-inflammatory properties of sea moss act like a protective barrier in this case. Long-term inflammation is not able to affect the body because of the protection it provides, hence keeping the health of the immune cells intact.

6. Strengthens Hair, Skin and Nails

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It is rich in the essential vitamins and minerals that trigger hair, skin, and nail growth. Different nutrients found in them support the growth and resilience of such body parts, making them stronger and full. 

One main ingredient is sulfur, which provides an important role in the development of collagen and keratin, two proteins significant for skin quality and strengthening hair and nails.

The antioxidants within sea moss add another layer of benefit through protection of the skin from oxidative stress, which complements the effects of collagen to potentially reduce wrinkle and fine line appearance. 

For those concerned with brittle nails, sea moss has got you covered, as the magnesium and silica content works in its formula to prevent nail brittleness.

Among many, probably the most underestimated benefit that comes along with sea moss is that it hydrates.

Due to its high water content, consuming sea moss increases overall hydration levels, something very important for healthy skin and hair.

7. Relieves From Nasal Congestion

Sea moss also has mucilaginous substances that help in dissolving the accumulated mucus in the air passage. This property can be used to treat the stuffy nose and prevent sinusitis as well. 

The high moisture content can also keep the nasal and respiratory passage moist. That prevents the accumulation of mucus.

The anti-inflammatory property of the sea moss also has a role to play over here. This property reduces the symptoms related to congestion such as swelling.

8. Reduces Stress

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The magnesium mineral present in the sea moss is related to relaxation and calmness of the nervous system.

This mineral with other vitamins present in the sea moss induces sleep and can impact the mood of any individual.  The stress can also be the result of inflammation in the body, which can also impact the nervous system.

The anti-inflammatory property of the sea moss hence has the ability to protect the nerve cells and system.

Moreover, the consumption of sea moss has been related to a boost in the energy level, so in stressed conditions, the body gets enough energy to tackle the situation.

9. Promotes Mental Health

Some forms of sea moss contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have a great deal associated with them that supports brain health.

The EPA fatty acid present in the sea moss might have the ability to create a sedative response that would prevent the body from mood disorder conditions such as anxiety.

On the other hand, the fatty acid DHA is a structural component of brain tissue: supplies through sea moss help to maintain the integrity of brain cells.

Moreover, all these vitamins and minerals of sea moss promote proper functioning of the nervous system, which makes us sound mentally most often.

10. Helps in Detoxification Of The Body

Sea moss is considered among the safest methods to detoxify the body. We are daily exposed to substances that come either from cosmetic chemicals or even air pollutants, which take their toll in the body over time.

Some of these toxins might stay inside our bodies for a long time and will gradually affect our health if not treated properly.

It is filled with so many vitamins and minerals contributing to human detoxification. The fiber in sea moss cleans your intestines of toxins and promotes good gut health through easy elimination.

11. Increases Libido

Some of the minerals responsible for hormone production and balance, such as iodine, magnesium, and zinc, are very vital in reproductive health. More precisely, zinc participates in the regulation of the male coitus hormone testosterone.

The mucilaginous elements of sea moss address heightened sexual sensitivity through their action on the mucous membranes of the reproductive organs.

This product has also been in use by men in many countries for long as an aphrodisiac. Generally, the consumption of sea moss is related to enhanced sexual desire and performance.

12. Boosts Energy

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Sea moss is the source of 92 minerals! These minerals support all the body's functions, from metabolism to energy production in the body.

Iron, one of the minerals, present in the sea moss efficiently transports oxygen to all cells of the body making them full of vigor and vitality. Vitamins also have a considerable role to play in this case.

Vitamins like vitamin B are associated with energy production from foods. Amino acids and fatty acids present in the sea moss also help in maintaining energy levels in the body.

They support the production of muscles and store energy in the body. Therefore, the nutrient-rich sea moss is a perfect source of food that helps to uplift the body's energy level. 

13. Great Source of Fibers

The soluble fibers in sea moss can disperse in the water and form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. Thus formed substance helps to slow down the digestion rate in the body.

Due to which the body gets time to properly digest and absorb the nutrients.

The efficient digestion and absorption keep the body full for a pretty long period of time, it basically satisfies our appetite for a long period of time, hence keeping the cravings coming back very frequently is avoided.

The sea moss fibers are also probiotic in nature. Sea moss improves gastrointestinal health, enhances healthy bacteria growth, and avoids irregular bowel movement.

14. Improves Heart Health

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Sea moss is packed with health benefits, ranging from its high soluble fiber levels that lower bad cholesterol and improve blood sugar to the ability of fiber itself to control body weight by filling the gut.

The benefit of sea moss is quite clear in decreasing the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease. Antioxidants abound within it, providing additional protection to cardiovascular health.

Adding sea moss to your diet translates to protecting your heart, managing weight, and probably preventing chronic diseases naturally.

15. Has Alkalizing Property

The presence of all the minerals increases the pH of the sea moss. This means they are alkaline naturally. 

This property of sea moss can help to get rid of the acidity in the body which may give rise to conditions like inflammation.

The alkaline nature is also helpful in reducing acidic conditions created by the consumption of meat high in protein, processed foods, and certain grains.

16. Beneficial During Pregnancy

The purpose of nutrition during pregnancy is to provide the proper supply of nutrients for the fetus and mother alike, and it can be included in the diet by pregnant women who need to meet the daily requirement of nutrients.

The two most persisting potent issues in pregnant women are the deficiency of iron and iodine. 

As sea moss contains an ample amount of both these minerals, its consumption protects the health of the pregnant woman. Vitamins present within the sea moss also play a considerable role in the development of a healthy fetus.

17. Supports Wound Healing

Sea moss heals the wounds of elderly people or surgery patients faster. Much research has been carried out to prove that sea moss heals wounds.

These include anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory properties, quite helpful during the early stages of wound healing.

These, together with the abundant minerals present in sea moss, help support connective tissue strengthening and thus eventually help the wound to heal fast.

18. Used As A Thickener

Sea moss is an incredible source of carrageenan, one of those versatile compounds highly valued because of its thickening properties across many industries.

In the food industry, carrageenan serves in improving the texture for such dairy products as ice cream and yogurt by adding to their richness and creaminess.

It then makes its way into sauces, gravies, and salad dressings, providing the wanted thickness that elevates such culinary creations.

Beyond the kitchen, carrageenan finds application in the pharmaceutical industry by acting as an aid in the formulation of gels and ointments to the right consistency for medicinal applications.

19. May Support Muscle Recovery

The variety of nutrients in sea moss helps build muscles and maintain muscle health, a factor that is essential in maintaining the health of your bones.

This is much important to those on a strict regime of exercise or to the elderly, who tend to see a loss in both muscles and bone mass due to aging.

Other studies also claim that including sea moss in one's diet provides more strength and energy, with less exhaustion and pain, probably because of the high protein concentration in sea moss.

20. Hydrates Body

There's 81.3g of water in a 100g serving of sea moss! The high water content in sea moss makes the food hydrating. Hence, every time one is consuming sea moss, it also means hydrating oneself.

The mucilaginous substance present within the sea moss possesses properties of trapping moisture. This further assists in the distribution of moisture throughout the body cells.

Sea Moss Nutrition

More precisely, according to the USDA, herein is a rundown of 100 grams of raw sea moss:

  • Energy: 49 kcal
  • Protein: 1.51 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.3 g
  • Water: 81.3 g
  • Fibers: 1.3 g
  • Fat: 0.16 g
  • Calcium: 72 mg
  • Iron: 8.9 mg
  • Magnesium: 144 mg
  • Phosphorus: 157 mg
  • Potassium: 63 mg
  • Sodium: 18 mg

Besides the above-mentioned minerals, highly endowed iodine is yet another asset in sea moss. A 1 gram of sea moss has about 47 milligrams of iodine.

This makes it a very good natural source for this important mineral. Sea moss is also made up of the following vitamins in relevant measure:

  • Vitamin C: 3 mg/100g
  • Vitamin A: 6 mcg/100g
  • Vitamin B9: 182 mcg/100g

These vitamins bestow different functions within the body, such as immune function and cellular growth. The high content of iodine will be highly valuable for thyroid health, while the vitamins aid overall wellness.