By Claudia Silberlicht

I first tasted seaweed at age 15 when my father took me to a Japanese restaurant in New York City. I must admit I had serious misgivings about eating it. All I could picture was the slimy, green algae that wrapped itself around my ankles and between my toes whenever I waded in the ocean. Yet the soup that arrived at our table was a lovely shade of green, with a delicate, smooth taste. I was hooked, and I’ve relished sea vegetables ever since.

Not only does seaweed taste good, but life in the briny ocean packs the algae with a wide spectrum of essential minerals and trace minerals in easily assimilated forms. In fact, ounce for ounce, seaweed is richer in minerals (which make up 7 percent to 38 percent of its dry weight) than any other food. Decades of research suggest that sea vegetables—loaded with protein, fiber, and vitamins—strengthen the immune system, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and even help ward off cancers, especially of the breast. A 2005 animal study published in the Journal of Nutrition, for example, suggests kelp (a type of seaweed) may decrease the risk of breast cancer and other estrogen-dependent diseases. The researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, say a connection may exist between seaweed consumption and the low cancer rates in Japan. “Brown kelp seaweed makes up more than 10 percent of the Japanese diet,” comments Christine Skibola, the study’s lead author. “Our study suggests that kelp may contribute to these reduced cancer rates among Japanese women.”

Health savvy folks in the US are following Japan’s example, and a growing number of groceries stock numerous varieties of seaweed in dried, powdered, and flake forms. Many top seaweed companies—such as Eden, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Rising Tide, Emerald Cove, and Mitoku—ensure the quality and purity of their wild sea vegetables, usually harvesting them by hand at the right time and carefully screening for contaminants like pesticides, herbicides, or heavy metals. Wild-crafters (traditional farmers who pick the seaweed) believe such careful handling techniques (as opposed to mechanical harvesting) enhance the seaweed’s healthfulness. “The energy and intensity of the plant is quite different when harvested by hand,” notes Jill Gusman, cooking instructor and author of Vegetables From the Sea (William Morrow, 2003). “It’s like eating organic versus nonorganic foods.”

You can reap the benefits of seaweed in myriad ways—and without having to eat enormous quantities of it. Although more than 160 species are eaten worldwide, six varieties—alaria, arame, dulse, hijiki, kelp, and nori—are the most common. From salads and soups to pastas, breads, and stir-fries, sea vegetables complement almost any dish. So go ahead, see what the tide brought in.

Alaria~This yellow-brown frond grows on rocky, exposed shorelines in North America. High in vitamin B, one serving also delivers more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium. Very similar to wakame, alaria has a delicate, smooth taste that goes well with soups, seafood chowders, and stews, though it needs to be cooked for at least 20 minutes. For a chewy snack, munch on raw alaria after soaking it in water for a few minutes.

Arame~Beneath the coastal waters of Japan, thin, black tendrils of arame wave from the rocks. This aesthetic addition to any meal provides high levels of iron, iodine, potassium,