If you thought vegetables only grew in soil on land, you\'re mistaken. Simple to cook and easy to serve in your favourite dishes, sea vegetables are plentiful, full of flavour and have a gamut of health benefits. Nutritionists and chefs around the world consider sea vegetables as pearls of the vegetable family as they add depth to cooking repertoire. Sea vegetables are neither plant nor animals but classified in a group known as ‘algae’ popularly “Seaweeds”. They commonly grow on coral reefs or in rocky landscapes and can be found in the sea. This article provides an overview of edible seaweeds.
Sho H. History and characteristics of Okinawan longevity food. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2001; 10:159-64.
Manilal AS, Sujith S, Seghal Kiran G, Selvin J, Shakir C. Bio potentials of Seaweeds collected from Southwest Coast of India. Global J Biotech Biochem. 2009; 4: 59-65.
Amster E, Tiwary A, Schenker MB. Case report: potential arsenic toxicosis secondary to herbal kelp supplement. Environ Health Perspect. 2007; 115:606-8.
Brownlee IA, Allen A, Pearson JP, Dettmar PW, Havler ME, Atherton MR, Onsøyen E. Alginate as a source of dietary fiber. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2005;45:497-510.
Clarke JS. Bacteriology of the gut and its clinical implications. West J Med. 1974; 121:390-403.
Güven KC, Percot A, Sezik E. Alkaloids in marine algae. Mar Drugs. 2010; 8:269-84.
Anand GE, Das S, Arun G, Balamurugan S, Ruban Raj R. Heparin like compound from green alga Chaetomorpha antennina—as potential anticoagulant agent. Asi J Med Sci. 2009; 1:114-6.
Waldron-Edward. The use of alginate in the prevention and treatment of radio-strontium toxicity, Gastrointestinal Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal 1986.
Aslam MN, Bhagavathula N, Paruchuri T, Hu X, Chakrabarty S et al. Growth-inhibitory effects of a mineralized extract from the red marine algae, Lithothamnion calcareum, on Ca(2+)-sensitive and Ca(2+)-resistant human colon carcinoma cells. Cancer Lett. 2009; 283:186-92.
Cumashi A, Ushakova NA, Preobrazhenskaya ME, D'Incecco A, Piccoli A et al A comparative study of the anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antiadhesive activities of nine different fucoidans from brown seaweeds. Glycobiology. 2007; 17:541-52.
Teas J. The dietary intake of Laminaria, a brown seaweed, and breast cancer prevention Nutr Cancer. 1983; 4:217-22.