Sea Vegetables

I bought these Dulse Flakes a few months ago. They've been sitting on my shelf ever since. I knew they were healthy. I knew they were a superfood. I also knew they were way out of my comfort zone. When I decided to shake things up around here and switch the direction of this blog from simply listing my smoothies to talking about them and about the ingredients and why, I knew it was time to break out the sea vegetables. I was hesitant. I was scared. I didn't want my smoothie to taste like the ocean. I didn't want it to taste like mussels. I hate mussels. I set about to make my current favorite smoothie (spinach, peaches & strawberries) and I went ahead and opened up this jar and threw in a pinch or two. Its not much, but from my understanding, a little bit of sea vegetables go a long way. And ya know what? I couldn't even taste them. I might go nuts next time and add a whole "dash". I'm outta control, kids.

So, why do we need sea vegetables in the first place? Well, click on those links up there to read all about them. But in a nutshell, sea vegetables have been a main staple in Asian cultures for many many generations, but they are just catching on here, and with good reason. Studies have shown sea vegetables can reduce your risk for certain cancers, they can help guard against heart disease, ease menopausal symptoms, act as an anti-inflamatory & they are jam packed with loads of trace vitamins & nutrients that most current S.A.D. (Standard American Diets) are lacking. They are sun dried on the banks and rocks of the sea (and sometimes fresh water lakes) and therefore contain live, active enzymes and they are rich with amino acids and other minerals. They are an excellent source of Folate, Vitamin K, Magnesium & Iodine. (just to name a few benefits....)

How does one use dried sea vegetables? Sprinkle them on salads, season your soups or stews with them or toss them in a green smoothis. Go grab some. You'll be glad you did.