If you are anything like us, you are a little weary from the endless PR on how fabulous kale is. Yes, we like kale, too. We add it to our salads instead of romaine. We’ve diced it and swapped it into recipes that call for spinach, even though spinach is a softer leaf to work with. You will even find us blanching and sometimes even massaging it so that we can pop it in the oven to make kale chips. Yes, it’s an excellent green that’s packed with vitamins and minerals, but what if there was something as nutritious and thankfully a little less rough?
We are talking about the lettuce of the ocean, seaweed. Don’t zone out yet. You are probably thinking, “Just what I need, another superfood fad.” But hear us out because seaweed has some pretty unique properties. And we are not saying throw away your kale, spinach, collards, or Swiss chard; just make room for something new.
Seaweed is indeed packed with the good stuff. One cup of dried seaweed has a nice mix of protein, carbs and fiber. It also contains calcium, potassium, folate, choline and beta carotene. Once eaten, your body can convert it to vitamin A. And in case you don’t know, calcium is good for your bones, potassium keeps the fluids in your body balanced, folate helps your cells divide and choline regulates memory and mood. In short, the health benefits of seaweed are well documented.
Finally, seaweed is a sustainable plant that naturally draws carbon from the water, helping maintain healthy oceans. For all these reasons, seaweed is the world’s fastest-growing source of food. And if you’re looking to incorporate healthy seafood into your diet, then we recommend picking up seaweed snacks, which provide a salty, delicious and nutritious mid-day energy boost.
Before we dive into the best seafood snacks, keep in mind that seaweed is a general term that includes different kinds of marine plant life. Kelp, which is a subgroup of seaweed, is also referred to as brown seaweed. And this isn’t a hard sell, just a gentle nudge that starts with you giving some of the best seaweed snacks a try.
1. Chef’s Gim Seaweed Snacks
Harvested from South Korea’s UNESCO Sinan ocean reserve, Chef’s Gim Seaweed Snacks is cultivated eco-friendly and organically. The brand does not use single-use plastic trays in order to reduce its carbon footprint. It is non-GMO certified, gluten-free, and vegan. You can use these crispy bites to top off a a warm bowl of soup instead of crackers or croutons your salad.
2. Chef Kim’s Asian Kitchen Seaweed Snacks, Sweet & Spicy
If you like your snacks spicy and sweet, then give Chef Kim’s Asian Kitchen Seaweed Snacks a try. They are organic, gluten-free and contain no artificial colors or flavors. The brand’s seaweed is from Gwangcheon in South Korea which is said to be one of the best seaweed farms in Korea because of its conditions like sunlight, algae and water flow that it is exposed to.
While you may associate wasabi with sushi Annie Chun’s Organic Seaweed Crisps has creatively decided to flavor these chips with its spicy mouth-tingling flavor. And for an extra crunchy bite, the seaweed is layered over crispy organic brown rice. Yum!
This light and crispy plant-based snack, with only 25 calories per serving, has vitamins B-12 and K and iodine. GimMe Organic Roasted Seaweed Snack also is free of artificial flavors or preservatives and certified organic. It is available in several variations sea salt, olive oil, sesame, avocado oil, teriyaki and wasabi. Try these inside your wrap or on your tuna salad.
Wickedly Prime Organic Roasted Seaweed Snacks are sustainably harvested in protected bays off the west coast of South Korea and sold in recyclable trays. They are flavored with a light oniony taste that would work well over a salad or in an onion dip.
If you’re looking for something a little more filling, then kelp jerky products are the best seaweed snacks for you. Some love that chewy feeling from jerky, and if that is your thing, then AKUA Kelp Jerky Seaweed Snack had you in mind when they created their Rosemary & Maple BBQ snack pack. In addition to kelp, aka brown seaweed, they’re made with mushrooms which provide that mouthfeel of jerky. The brand’s kelp is regeneratively ocean-farmed, a zero-input crop that requires no freshwater, fertilizer or feed. It is jam-packed with vitamins and minerals containing 35% of our RDA of vitamin D, plus vitamins A and E, riboflavin and magnesium.
If you love putting bacon on everything you eat, VitaminSea Applewood Smoked Dulse Flakescan can be its substitute minus bacon’s saturated fat. It is rich in protein and has vitamins A, C, D and E, as well as calcium and magnesium. The brand grows its seaweed off waters off the coast of Maine. Try these smoky flakes in place of bacon on sandwiches like a BLT, in chowders and sprinkled on top of your baked potato.
Woodridge Snacks Tempura Seaweed Chips available in sea salt, sriracha and hickory bbq have been dipped in batter and then fried crisp. The brand uses a Japanese traditional centuries-old style of deep-frying called tempura, which is normally used with seafood and vegetables. The Hickory BBQ is smoky and sweet, while the sriracha is a little spicy and tangy. They are non-GMO, Vegan and Gluten-free.
Goodlife Sea Stick makes mid-afternoon snacking easy and light. Their wasabi flavor provides a quick pick me up. Each rolled stick has been baked and contains potassium, calcium and iron and are free of MSG, trans fat, gluten, coloring and preservatives.
