What is Wakame?

Wakame is a type of edible seaweed or sea vegetables that are traditionally used in Japanese and Korean cuisines. The seaweed is leaf and dark green in color and are usually available in a dried, dehydrated form, although fresh varieties that are preserved in salt are also sold. Its taste is mild and somewhat similar to spinach and is often used in soups and salads. Wakame is considered to be healthy, macrobiotic foods due to its low fat and cholesterol content and high concentrations of vitamins and minerals. At the end of the 20th century, Wakame cultivation also began in Brittany, France and Tasmania in Australia. It is available in the west because macrobiotic diet grew in popularity during the sixties and 70 years.

Dried wakame can be sold either whole or flakes, while fresh variety is usually sold whole. Whole varieties of seaweed require soaking before use during cooking, andThey would reconstruct and reduce their salt taste. For half an hour of soaking in fresh water is usually sufficient, with seaweed to increase greatly because they absorb more water. The leaves can be removed and chopped, while an inedible stem can be discarded or delayed aside for making soup similar to Dashi. Wakame flakes do not necessarily require soaking and can be sprinkled to many different foods to add salty taste and crispy texture.

Some varieties of Wakame have a brown color than others; These varieties tend to have a stronger salty taste and darker color. Most Wakame has a slight taste that is sweet and salty and commonly found in Miso soup. The seaweed variety is also often combined with other vegetables and liberally dressed with rice wine to make the popular Japanese salad known as Sunomono. It can also be added to mixing fries, rice and noodle meals or served separately as an octa, miso or soy.

wakame is goodThe source of vitamins A, C and E also contains a high amount of iron and calcium. In the 21st century, Japanese chemists found that seaweed also contains a chemical compound called Fucoxanthin, which seems to support weight loss in rats by allowing them to burn fat faster. It is not clear whether Fucoxanthin has the same effect on people. Despite many health benefits of seaweed consumption, most seaweed varieties have a high sodium. Sea algae should therefore be consumed in moderation to prevent increased risks of hypertension, heart disease and stroke.