Oh how I love seaweed! I love it in everything. I love sushi rolls; I love wakame in miso soup; and I love it in my rice. It’s one of the most versatile condiments and it makes everything taste good. But aside from the taste, seaweed and ocean vegetables are mineral-rich to help lower cholesterol, detoxify your body and fight candida.

I first learned about seaweed and its benefits when I embarked on a 30-day no sugar, no wheat, anti-candida diet. While losing far too much weight, I fell in love with the many varieties of seaweed. It was the one thing I loved about the cleanse I was on.

Recently scientists have found that seaweed is up to 60 times more potent than land vegetables. The Tidals Greens website reveals that “studies of large groups of people who eat seaweed and algae regularly tend to show that they have less of a risk of breast cancer than those who eat more meats. Women in Japan, for example, have a lower risk of breast cancer than woman in the United States.”

According to the Body Ecology diet, seaweed can help detoxify our body from heavy metals, environmental pollutants and carcinogens. Seaweed also helps to balance the thyroid function and helps to prevent aging and chronic disease.

But aside from the seaweed we see on the outside of our sushi rolls, there are many different types of seaweed all with different tastes and textures, all with abundant minerals, so one is never short of choice.

Below are some of the types of seaweed that the Body Ecology diet suggests to incorporate into your meal plan.

Arame: A very mild but relatively sweet seaweed. It is best to soak this in water to soften it.

Nori: This is something most of us are familiar with. Typically used to wrap our rice with fillings to make sushi rolls

Wakame: This is one of my favourites and a seaweed I cannot travel without. It is related to Kombu. Soak and add it into miso soup for a good healthy meal.

Kombu: My husband cooks with this quite a lot. Usually he puts one strip into water and boils it to make a lovely rich broth that is packed with minerals.

Dulse: Health website Body Ecology swears this is packed with protein and iron.

Kelp: This is an algae. It is full of minerals and iodine, which is very good for thyroid issues.

So there you have it. Start incorporating seaweed into your home cooking!