When the conversation turns toward seaweed snacks, which I’m sure it often does, most people think of it as the stuff that wraps around your limbs when you’re trying to swim in open water. But it’s edible—and good for you, too.
Japanese restaurants already use sheets of seaweed called nori as the wrap for maki rolls. It can be so much more than that, though. In my family, seaweed is a crunchy, salty and healthy snack!
Health Benefits of Seaweed
There are thousands of types of seaweed, and humans currently use about 145 of them for everything from food to anti-aging facial masks. This plant is an excellent source of iodine, a micronutrient critical for thyroid health. Seaweed is also thought to help boost metabolism and improve gut health, increasing the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.
It’s a low-calorie snack, too—a package of 10 crunchy nori sheets typically has 15 to 20 calories and gives you 30% of your daily value of iodine. Most nori is also going to be gluten-free, Whole30-approved and keto-friendly, if those monikers describe your current diet.