Doctors’ Update on Seaweed and Longevity

Note: This transcript is abridged. For the complete episode, click "play" on the podcast link above.

What Are the Key Nutritional Benefits of Seaweed? 00:04:07

Dr. Mike: [I] love [seaweed]! I just had some amazing seaweed salad the other day. It was so good. Seaweed is in for living forever-ish.

Dr. Crystal: That's right. People really aren't eating as much as they should, in my opinion. I know I send seaweed to school with my daughter.

Dr. Mike: So, you’re sending the dried [seaweed]—like a chip?

Dr. Crystal: The dry seaweed snacks…

Dr. Mike: I love that stuff.

Dr. Crystal: …Which is nori, but it's seaweed. It's a type of algae. There's green, there’s brown, there’s red...many varieties. And it’s used in many types of Asian dishes, primarily.

Dr. Mike: That's where I got this from. I don't know if by the time they prepared [the seaweed], the color [may have changed] a little bit in the sea, but it was nice and green. I'm assuming that's [a] green variety of seaweed. But, it just had that nice touch of Asian dressing—not too much or too salty. It was really good.

Dr. Crystal: Yeah, sometimes it's a little sweet for me.

Dr. Mike: It could be a little sweet and even a little salty. It's how a lot of those dressings are made in Asian countries. You can make your own, by the way, and then adjust [the] salt and sugar.

Dr. Crystal: I've never, but that's what you do Dr. Mike—that's your thing. What’s used in seaweed salad is kelp, or a kelp species. But you have different [types of seaweed, including those] used as a base for ramen soups [or to wrap] sushi.

Dr. Mike: Yeah, and that's probably where most Americans get it. If you like sushi, you're getting some seaweed there. We just need more of it. Why, what's the whole point? First of all: minerals, minerals, minerals.

Can Seaweed Help Improve Your Diet and Support Healthy Aging? 00:06:01

Dr. Crystal: Yeah, they're absorbing minerals and other trace elements from the seawater. You utilize [these elements] for metabolism. And, of course, iodine. [You] need it for your thyroid [and] energy production. [Seaweed is] jam-packed with iodine.

Dr. Mike: And then you have protein, a decent source. There’s fiber! Then, there are polysaccharides, [like] fucoidan. How do you say it?

Dr. Crystal: I think “fucoidan.” But there's also omega-3s, omega-6s and polyphenols. When you think about eating your veggies, [you] don't think about sea veggies!

Dr. Mike: We should because they are incredibly sustainable. There [are] tons of it out there. It grows easily; we can harvest it easily. And we’ve got to start thinking about that. More and more people are on this planet. How are we preparing for future generations, [with regard to] food sources and sustainability? So, [seaweed] is something that I would love to see more people eat.

Dr. Mike: If you remember, a few years ago, fucoidan gained a lot of attention for its anti-aging properties.

Dr. Crystal: Yes, very true.

Dr. Mike: [For its] longevity aspect. I don't know where that’s at today. I didn't keep up with it, but there was a time when most longevity researchers felt [it] was the key compound [in seaweed].

Dr. Crystal: Right. Well, it's responsible for longevity in many Japanese individuals and [other] Asians.

Dr. Mike: …Living long lives.

Dr. Crystal: Yes, long lifespans.

Dr. Mike: There you go: Get some seaweed.

Dr. Crystal: And “healthspans.”

Dr. Mike: [I] think I'm going to have some of that.

Dr. Crystal: You have to remember, it’s not just about living longer…

Dr. Mike: See, I'm already done with that.

Dr. Crystal: …It’s [about] being stronger!

Dr. Mike: I'm thinking about my seaweed salad.

Dr. Crystal: Oh, that sounds good.

Dr. Mike: [It’s] so crunchy and vibrant when you eat it.