Are You Eating Enough Seaweed?

I feel so lucky to have grown up in Hawaii with Japanese ancestry because I’m familiar with eating seaweed. From wakame salad to nori, it’s been part of my diet since I was a child. And considering how picky of an eater I was (they called me rice girl because I only wanted to eat white rice), I think my body is very lucky as well. 

Nori is one of the few ways to eat DHA Omega-3 fatty acids while still maintaining a vegetarian diet. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are incredibly beneficial for our minds and bodies. They are part of the phospholipids that make up cell membranes. DHA is crucial for the brain. Not only that, but other studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA in particular) may help reduce inflammation. 

I recently read “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life” by Dr. Amen, “This is Your Brain on Food” by Dr. Uma Naidoo, and listened to an Alzheimer’s prevention session online. And though the books are published by psychiatrists, all sources reference scientific studies and recommend that we add more of these fatty acids (DHA specifically) into our diets—though not too many. Everything in moderation.

However - if you want to stick to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, this isn’t as simple as it may sound. 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical student, dietician, nutritionist, or doctor. The information below is all from my own digging through the resources mentioned above and online journals.

Flaxseeds and hempseeds are great sources of ALA Omega-3s which can be converted into DHAs but not easily. As I stated above, you want to avoid eating too many of these fatty acids, so eating enough ALAs to create enough DHAs is not a great idea. 

DHA Omega-3 fatty acids are more commonly found in fish like Salmon or Mackerel which eat foods that have eaten microalgae where the DHA fatty acids originate. Like inception for fatty acids. By eating these fish, you can get a healthy source of these DHA Omega-3s without overdoing it. I’m all for eating real foods, so this is a great way to get those omegas without having to take a supplement.

BUT if you’re not eating fish (like me) what can you do?

Seaweeeedddddddd!!

Cold water harvested seaweed to be specific. Bring on the nori and the wakame salad. 

Turns out, my roots are helping me while I live a vegetarian lifestyle.

If you’re not too keen on eating seaweed just yet, you can also find algae-based supplements, but again, if you’re deciding on supplements, be sure to chat with your doctor and pay attention to the details of your exact supplement.

Anyway, just a fun discovery I’ve made while I learn a bit more about Alzheimer’s prevention, eating a diet that helps for anxiety and depression, and making sure that I’m being a responsible vegetarian.