What is Nori and why should we eat it?
Nori is a seaweed or algae that grows along the salty shores. Nori has long been a staple in Asian cultures and can be featured in sushi, salads, soups, and stews. There are several types of seaweed including nori, kelp, wakame, kombu, dulse, and blue-green algae, such as spirulina and chlorella. Nori is a nutritious and gut-friendly food that is rich in nutrients that may be beneficial in thyroid function, digestive health, and even weight loss.
There are different categories of algae; they can be red, brown, and green. Nori is a red algae and is extremely high in dietary soluble fiber, one large nori sheet contains 1 gram of fiber. Fiber helps slow digestion, aids in protecting the gastrointestinal muscles, and helps with satiety. Nori is also rich in vitamins and minerals such as iodine, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, and potassium. Nori is a great source of non heme iron, it is also rich in iodine and contains 20% of the recommended allowance for adults. Insufficient iodine means that your thyroid can’t make enough thyroid hormone, which regulates many bodily functions, including metabolism. Researchers have found iodine and iron are important for the gut because they help prevent gastrointestinal diseases as well as the thyroid disease.
Incorporating seaweed into your diet can benefit your health in many ways but there are risks associated with the heavy metal concentrations in seaweed. While levels may be low, the toxic metals may build up over time in a person who eats seaweed daily. Though the general risk is low, it may be a good idea to ensure that seaweed is organic and comes from a high-quality source.
Ways to eat it
Nori can be used for making veggie sushi rolls
You can toast nori with seasoning and eat it as a delicious snack!
You can blend nori into an Asian inspired salad dressing
You can sprinkle nori flakes on top of almost any dish for an extra boost of iodine!
Recipe: Nori Vegan Sushi Rolls
Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings):
4 sheets nori seaweed
1 1/2 cup sushi rice or brown rice, cooked
1/2 avocado
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 large cucumber, julienne
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
Rice Seasoning:
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
Directions:
Combine cooked rice with rice seasoning ingredients. Transfer in a big bowl and set aside to cool.
Slice avocado into long pieces.
Peel carrots and cucumbers and cut lengthwise.
Using a bamboo mat, place nori seaweed with rough side up.
Wet hands and place cooled rice on the nori sheet. Leave an inch of space at the top.
Place avocado and carrots on top of the rice and carefully roll the sushi roll very tightly.
Then cut the sushi roll into as many pieces as you like.
Continue this process with the rest of the nori sheets and enjoy with coconut aminos or tamari for dipping sauce!
Heal with Each Meal!
Want These #GoodGut Recipes and 100+ More? Click Here
Sign Up for Our Newsletter Click Here
Become a Patient Click Here
References
Knezevic, J., Starchl, C., Tmava Berisha, A., & Amrein, K. (2020). Thyroid-Gut-Axis:
How Does the Microbiota Influence Thyroid Function?. Nutrients, 12(6), 1769. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061769.
O’Brien, S. (January 2017). 7 surprising health benefits of eating seaweed.
Peñalver, R., Lorenzo, J. M., Ros, G., Amarowicz, R., Pateiro, M., & Nieto, G. (2020). Seaweeds
as a Functional Ingredient for a Healthy Diet. Marine drugs, 18(6), 301. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18060301.
Plant-based tips and tricks. (June 2020). Plant-based sushi roll (whole food, plant-based
plant-based, no oil, gluten-free). https://plantbasedtipsandtricks.com/plant-based-sushi/.
Target Health. (May 2018). Nori, Seaweed. https://www.targethealth.com/post/nori-seaweed.