Kelp - benefits and side effects

http://www.livestrong.com/article/354597-the-health-benefits-side-effects-of-kelp/

Kelp is a type of seaweed, or algae, commonly eaten in Asian countries, such as Japan and China. Kelp is found mainly in kelp forests within shallow bodies of saltwater and can grow up to half a meter a day, ultimately reaching heights of 30 to 80 meters. Kelp is considered a super-food because of all the nutrients it contains. Eating large amounts of it can cause side effects.

Vitamins and Minerals

Kelp contains many vitamins, especially B vitamins, which are essential for cellular metabolism and providing your body with energy. It also contains vitamins C and E, which are both strong antioxidants and promote blood vessel health. Minerals, such as calcium, boron and magnesium are plentiful in kelp; they are necessary for strong bones and normal muscle function.

Sodium Alginate

Kelp, like other seaweeds, is rich in sodium alginate, which is an element effective at protecting the body from radiation and removing it. According to a 1964 study published in the “Canadian Medical Association Journal,” sodium alginate derived from kelp reduced radioactive strontium absorption in the intestines by 50 to 80 percent. Specifically, sodium alginate allows calcium to be absorbed through the intestinal wall while binding most of the strontium, which is excreted from the body

Iodine

Seaweed is also a rich source of iodine, which is a crucial nutrient for the thyroid. A deficiency in iodine leads to goiter, or swelling of the thyroid, and metabolism disruption. Iodine is the main element used to synthesize the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine. The thyroid gland absorbs iodide from the bloodstream to make its hormones, although the process is regulated by the pituitary gland. Consuming iodine from plants like kelp also helps reduce the effects of radiation exposure.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is used by plants to convert sunlight into energy, and it contains many nutrients, including antioxidants and amino acids. Chlorophyll is also similar in composition to human blood, so consumption of it can stimulate red blood cell production, which can increase oxygenation around the body. Kelp contains plentiful amounts of chlorophyll.

Side Effects

Kelp contains a large amount of iodine, which can cause side effects. Although some iodine is essential for thyroid function, ingesting too much of it can negatively affect thyroid function, causing hypo- or hyper-thyroidism. Many thyroid specialists suggest that adults consume about 150 micrograms of iodine daily, although that is well below the level that could cause side effects. Table salt is iodized, so you should balance your kelp consumption against your salt intake.

Kelp might also contain arsenic, and consuming large amounts of kelp supplements might lead to arsenic poisoning.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=135

• Sea vegetables may be a better source of bioavailable iron than previously thought. One tablespoon of dried sea vegetable will contain between 1/2 milligram and 35 milligrams of iron, and this iron is also accompanied by a measurable amount vitamin C. Since vitamin C acts to increase the bioavailability of plant iron, this combination in sea vegetables may offer a special benefit.
• Brown algae (including the commonly eaten sea vegetables kombu/kelp, wakame, and arame may be unique among the sea vegetables in their iodine content. Some species from the brown algae genus Laminaria are able to accumulate iodine in up to 30,000 times more concentrated a form than sea water!
• Sea vegetables may be a unique food source not only of the mineral iodine, but also of the mineral vanadium. As part of their natural defense mechanisms, sea vegetables contain a variety of enzymes called haloperoxidases. These enzymes all require vanadium in order to function. Although this mineral is not as well known as some of the other mineral nutrients, it appears to play a multi-faceted role in regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and blood sugar. While research in this area is still in the preliminary stage and remains mixed in terms of results, vanadium may help to increase our body's sensitivity to insulin by inhibiting a group of enzymes called protein tyrosine phosphatases. It may also help us decrease our body's production of glucose and help us increase our body's ability to store starch in the form of glycogen.
• Unlike some other types of vegetables, sea vegetables do not appear to depend solely on common polyphenol antioxidants (like flavonoids) or terpenoid antioxidants (like carotenoids) for their total antioxidant capacity. Recent research from India makes it clear that a variety of non-flavonoid and non-carotenoid antioxidant compounds are present in sea vegetables, including several different types of antioxidant alkaloids.
• An increasing number of health benefits from sea vegetables are being explained by their fucoidan concent. Fucoidans are starch-like (polysaccharide) molecules, but they are unique in their complicated structure (which involves a high degree of branching) and their sulfur content. Numerous studies have documented the anti-inflammatory benefits of fucoidans (sometimes referred to as sulfated polysaccharides), and osteoarthritis has been an area of specific interest for these anti-inflammatory benefits. The sulfated polysaccharides in sea vegetables also have anti-viral activity and have been studied in relationship to herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). By blocking the binding sites used by HSV-1 and HSV-2 for cell attachment, sulfated polysaccharides help prevent replication of these viruses. The sulfated polysaccharides in sea vegetables also have important anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties that bring valuable cardiovascular benefits.
• Sea vegetables may play a role in lowering risk of estrogen-related cancers, including breast cancer. Since cholesterol is required as a building block for production of estrogen, the cholesterol-lowering effects of sea vegetables may play a risk-reducing role in this regard. However, more interesting with respect to breast cancer risk is the apparent ability of sea vegetables to modify aspects of a woman's normal menstrual cycle in such a way that over a lifetime, the total cumulative estrogen secretion that occurs during the follicular phase of the cycle gets decreased. For women who are at risk of estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, sea vegetables may bring a special benefit in this regard.

WHFoods Recommendations

While the broad range of minerals provided by sea vegetables make them a great addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating, Westerners are often not quite sure how to add more of these nutrient-rich foods to their meals. One easy way is to keep a container of kelp flakes on the dinner table and use it instead of table salt for seasoning foods. You can also experiment with adding your favorite sea vegetable to vegetable dishes, salads, and miso soups. They are easy to add to dishes as they require no cooking (see Tips for Preparing Sea Vegetables in the How to Enjoy section below). It is recommended to include 1 tsp of sea vegetables to your Healthiest Way of Eating each day. 

Sea Vegetables, dulse, dried
1.00 TBS
(5.00 grams)

Calories: 11
GI: low

NutrientDRI/DV

 iodine500%

 vitamin C16%

 manganese16%

 vitamin B211%

 vitamin A9%

 copper9%

 protein4%

 phosphorus3%

 iron3%

 potassium3%

 zinc3%

 vitamin B33%

 vitamin B63%

 vitamin B13%

 pantothenic acid3%

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Sea vegetables provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Sea vegetables can be found in theFood Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Sea vegetables, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-542-kelp%20(laminaria.aspx?activeingredientid=542&activeingredientname=kelp%20(laminaria

• Digoxin (Lanoxin) interacts with LAMINARIA
  
  Laminaria contains large amounts of potassium. Large amounts of potassium can increase the effects and side effects of digoxin (Lanoxin). Do not take laminaria if you are taking digoxin (Lanoxin).
• Medications for high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors) interacts with LAMINARIA
  
  Laminaria contains large amounts of potassium. Some medications for high blood pressure can increase potassium levels in the blood. Taking laminaria along with some medications for high blood pressure might cause too much potassium in the blood.
  
  Some medications for high blood pressure include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), ramipril (Altace), and others.
• Potassium supplements interacts with LAMINARIA
• Thyroid hormone interacts with LAMINARIA
  
  The body naturally produces thyroid hormones. Laminaria might increase how much thyroid hormone the body produces. Taking laminaria along with thyroid hormone pills might increase the effects and side effects of thyroid hormones.
• Water pills (Potassium-sparing diuretics) interacts with LAMINARIA
  
  Laminaria contains large amounts of potassium. Some "water pills" can also increase potassium levels in the body. Taking some "water pills" along with laminaria might cause too much potassium to be in the body.