By
Robert Rister
If you have ever visited Norway, Japan, or Ireland, where people who live in rugged coastal towns often eaten seaweed for breakfast, chances are you did not notice a lot of bulging bellies. Now scientists recognize that unique fibers in seaweed make it a natural fat-blocker.
Dr. Iain Brownlee and Professor Jeff Pearson from England's Newcastle University report that alginate, a natural fiber found in seaweed and kelp, is more effective than orlistat (marketed as Alli) for blocking absorption of fat from food. Instead of selling seaweed supplements, however, the English scientists propose adding alginate to cookies, cakes, processed meats, and baked goods to block up to three quarters of all the fat in food. The nearest competing commercial product, Alli, in contrast, can block up to about one quarter of the fat in food, and then only if the user is on a very low-fat diet.
Blocking fat is not the only weight-loss benefit of seaweed. Various sea vegetables, kelp, dulse, and seaweeds are all rich sources of iodine, the trace mineral essential for the thyroid's production of the thyroid hormone thyroxine. When this hormone is not available in its active form, people gain weight.
Sea vegetables are also great for adding color and variety to ordinary meals. If you were to visit a breakfast buffet in Japan, for example, chances are you would see small children passing up the Pop Tarts and sugar-frosted flakes to eagerly reach for orange, red, yellow, green, and purple vegetables from the sea of all shapes, sizes, and textures. These marine plant foods add interest and color to any meal without packing the calories.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_RisterIf you have ever visited Norway, Japan, or Ireland, where people who live in rugged coastal towns often eaten seaweed for breakfast, chances are you did not notice a lot of bulging bellies. Now scientists recognize that unique fibers in seaweed make it a natural fat-blocker.
Dr. Iain Brownlee and Professor Jeff Pearson from England's Newcastle University report that alginate, a natural fiber found in seaweed and kelp, is more effective than orlistat (marketed as Alli) for blocking absorption of fat from food. Instead of selling seaweed supplements, however, the English scientists propose adding alginate to cookies, cakes, processed meats, and baked goods to block up to three quarters of all the fat in food. The nearest competing commercial product, Alli, in contrast, can block up to about one quarter of the fat in food, and then only if the user is on a very low-fat diet.
Blocking fat is not the only weight-loss benefit of seaweed. Various sea vegetables, kelp, dulse, and seaweeds are all rich sources of iodine, the trace mineral essential for the thyroid's production of the thyroid hormone thyroxine. When this hormone is not available in its active form, people gain weight.
Sea vegetables are also great for adding color and variety to ordinary meals. If you were to visit a breakfast buffet in Japan, for example, chances are you would see small children passing up the Pop Tarts and sugar-frosted flakes to eagerly reach for orange, red, yellow, green, and purple vegetables from the sea of all shapes, sizes, and textures. These marine plant foods add interest and color to any meal without packing the calories.
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