Where to buy kelp on the internet
Internet natural food stores where you can buy sea greens products directly online. The USA-based stores have a wider selection. They all ship internationally and often have special offers.
A tip: if you use the search box, enter specific sea greens, like kelp, agar agar, spirulina, chlorella.
IN USA
IN UK
Kelp
Kelp (also called brown seaweed), commonly found on the British and Irish coasts, from the north seas of Iceland and Northern Russia south to Brittany, and in North America, is popular in the Far East as a garnish for rice or as a seasoning.
Kelp is actually not a species but a large group of 30 different genera, members of the yellow or brown-coloured algae family, which are the longest-living and largest of all sea plants.
The best known genus of kelp is Laminaria, and its most common species are Laminaria digitata and its close relative Laminaria japonica, the Japanese kombu. Sometimes members of the order Fucales are also considered kelp.
Kelp grows in underwater forests (see picture), called kelp forests, in clear, shallow oceans, requiring nutrient-rich water below about 20°C. It is known for its high growth rate: the genus Macrocystis grows up to 30 cm per day, to a total length of up to 60 metres.
Kelp is made up of 44% slow-release carbohydrates, which help stabilise blood sugars, so it is a good nutritional choice for those who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome or have diabetes, where there is an inability to metabolise insulin properly. But slow-release carbohydrates are good for everybody, because they maintain the sugar level in the blood at a regular level, thus reducing tiredness, hunger and the constant craving for food.
With a 6.5 % protein content and only 1 % fat, kelp is a good choice for vegetarians and those trying to lose weight, and because it's packed with dietary fiber, it can also help those suffering from a range of digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome. It fights excess weight and allows a better assimilation of sugars and fats, thereby reducing the level of cholesterol.
A traditional coastal food, it is very rich in iodine and chlorides, hydro and liposoluble vitamins (A, C, B1, B2, PP, K, B12) and trace elements.
It is also very rich in mineral salts, containing potassium, calcium, sulphur, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, cobalt, boron and copper.
Fresh algae are freeze-dried (freeze-drying is a vacuum-drying process) in order to preserve their active ingredients undamaged.
A recipe with kelp
You can find the ingredients for the recipe on
Kalyx -
USA-based, it can ship internationally. Bulk foods are offered at discount rates.
Tesco online - In the UK. Find anything with its search box. You have to register first, but it's free and takes few seconds.
Haricot beans with kelp in a tomato sauc
e
Ingredients for 4:
- 2 tablespoons Italian extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red or green crushed chilli pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Kelp granules
- 1 1/3 cup haricot beans
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- Mediterranean mixed herbs
1. In a heavy saucespan, sauté onion in olive oil, adding herbs.
2. Stir in beans and kelp granules, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, one can of water, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes, until beans are tender.
4. Eat with bread, pasta or rice.
A culinary tip. In Japanese cuisine, kelp (or kombu) is widely used as a seasoning to enhance the taste of other vegetable dishes. It is an exceptional source of a flavouring substance called monosodium glutamic acid, which is the natural, safe version of the chemical flavour-enhancer monosodium glutamate.
Contrary to popular belief, sea greens will not make food taste fishy - instead, they simply enhance the flavour of stews, rice, beans, pastas, grains, soups, and salads. Kombu is used to make dashi, a basic Japanese soup stock.
Add kelp to French onion soup.
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