What Is Sea Moss?
Sea moss is a type of moss that grows on rocks and is indigenous to the ocean floors of North America and Northern Europe. It is often present on the ocean’s surface rock formations. Its harvesters usually do it manually by using a long pole to remove the leaves. The tops would later be dried and then processed. The poorest of the population have been known to eat it during periods of food insecurity.
Soups made from sea moss were prepared by those who needed to supplement their diets during the Irish Potato Famine of the 19th century. Some consumed it plainly, although it’s not very appealing. Also, it utilizes a well-known Jamaican blended drink, sea moss cooked in milk, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, and nutmeg.
Sea moss has been hailed as a healthful food for a long time, not just because it can help people survive when resources are scarce. It also uses carrageenan, a common thickener in non-dairy and dairy milk, ice creams, puddings, and many more.
Benefits
1. It Keeps You Energized
You’ll get more energy out of every meal thanks to the vitamins B, riboflavin, and folate, which aid in the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Its iron content promotes RBC production; thus, it’s also good for anemia.
Iron is often present in animal products, such as meat, poultry, and seafood. Sea moss is an excellent choice for vegetarians or vegans trying to boost their iron requirement. Also, it is an excellent alternative to fatigue, low energy, and anemia.
2. Boosts The Immune System
Use sea moss for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. It’s rich in potassium chloride, reducing inflammation and increasing the chance of infection. It also contains potassium iodide, which helps dissolve the phlegm.
Additionally, it contains amino acids, antioxidants, Vitamin C, other antimicrobials, and antiviral agents that help improve the immune system. Experimental evidence suggests it has the potential to inhibit salmonella growth.
3. Sea Moss Improves Thyroid Function
The thyroid gland is a butterfly in the neck’s front that regulates metabolic processes. This gland profoundly impacts every aspect of our lives, from mood to digestion.
The other benefit of sea moss includes maintaining the thyroid’s strength and health by providing essential nutrients, such as concentrated Iodine, which produces important hormones.
It also has DI-Iodothyronine. It uses as a treatment for thyroid problems. Its effects ripple throughout all aspects of the body’s metabolism, keeping it in top shape and, possibly, healthily assisting in weight loss.
4. Promotes Digestion
Its silky, soothing texture makes it a great healing agent for the digestive and respiratory systems. Prebiotics are foods that promote the development of healthy bacteria in the gut.
It means that sea moss helps digestion, makes it more regular, and alleviates gastritis and constipation. It can also reduce irritation in the intestine’s mucus membranes and remove harmful microbes from your gut. Further, it increases the overall immunity function.
5. Sea Moss Improve Gut Health
The research studies that have been conducted on sea moss, in particular, can benefit digestion, claims Kristin Kirkpatrick RDN, who’s working with Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute is based in Denver, Colorado.
It has prebiotic mucilage. It is a kind of fiber that can provide foods beneficial to gut microbes and aid in improving gut health.
One study investigated the effects of prebiotics from sea moss in rats. It concluded that moss positively affects gut health, gut microbes, and the immune system. More study is needed, though, to see if the effects of sea moss are the same in humans.
6. Anti-Cancer Properties
One study found evidence of anti-tumor capabilities in it following an ultrasound-assisted extraction of its constituents, which slowed the growth of specific human cancer cells in the laboratory. Researchers speculated that this could be due to the antioxidants in it.
These anti-cancer properties are due to the carrageenan-rich content of sea moss. It is also beneficial when coupled with chemotherapy treatment. But further human studies are needed to prove the role of it in cancer prevention and treatment.
Downsides
The environment influences the micronutrient and fatty acid levels of sea vegetables. Although it’s a great source of Iodine, the Iodine content in it and seaweeds is highly variable.
Consuming excessive amounts of Iodine can cause hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid. The thyroid is an essential gland in the lower part of your neck.
It is responsible for growth and metabolism. Sea moss can also increase the possibility of heavy metal consumption since seaweed has been known to store and absorb large amounts of heavy metals. But the risk of toxicity is low.
One study looked into the levels of 20 metals present in 8 kinds of seaweeds in the waters of Europe in addition to Asia. Researchers concluded that the levels of heavy metals didn’t present any health hazards of a severe nature.