An important component in the benefits of wakame seaweed is fucoxanthin, it has an antidiabetic effect.
The anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of fucoxanthin-rich wakame seaweed lipids were tested in a group of obese mice, this study showed that these algae can significantly suppress body weight.
Before wakame treatment, the mice showed signs of hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperleptinemia, but the addition of wakame algae to the diet normalized these conditions.
The researchers concluded that wakame seaweed can prevent diabetes, related disorders, and obesity by reversing the insulin resistance that is due to a high-fat diet.
2.- Benefits of wakame seaweed for weight loss
The fucoxanthin present in wakame seaweed benefits promotes fat burning within the fat cells of animals.
Fucoxanthin is believed to fight fat in two ways: it encourages the action of a protein that causes fat oxidation, and it is found in the type of fat that surrounds the organs.
It also promotes the production of DHA in the liver, which helps lower bad or LDL cholesterol.
Fucoxanthin also reduces the weight of abdominal white adipose tissue in rats and mice, making it one of the best fat-burning foods.
3.- Helps balance hormones
The benefits of Wakame seaweed provide in addition to manganese, a little iron, and calcium, three of the minerals that help balance hormones naturally.
Manganese and calcium help improve PMS symptoms; Because manganese helps with hormonal regulation and shows antioxidant activity, wakame seaweed can also work as a natural treatment for infertility.
4.- Benefits of wakame seaweed for Bones
One hundred grams of wakame seaweed provides 15 percent of your daily value for calcium, which is essential for preventing osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Foods rich in calcium help increase bone growth and accelerate bone repair, while calcium deficiency occurs easily because we lose the mineral through the intestines, kidneys, and skin.
Osteoporosis is a common feature of aging; It involves bone loss that begins in women at the time of menopause and men at 55 years of age.
It can lead to increased rates of fractures, which is why getting enough calcium in your diet is so important.
5.- Benefits of wakame seaweed for breast cancer
There is a small body of research that suggests there is a relationship between seaweed and a lower risk of breast cancer.
In traditional Chinese medicine and Japanese folk medicine, seaweed is used to treat tumors. People who eat seaweed regularly, especially in Japan, have dramatically lower rates of breast cancer.
In 2013 the impact of the introduction of the benefits of wakame seaweed in the diet of postmenopausal women was evaluated.
15 healthy postmenopausal women were recruited for the three-month clinical trial.
Five of the women had no history of breast cancer (they served as a control group) and 10 were breast cancer survivors.
Consumption of seaweed reduced concentrations of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, a protein that is present in several physiological sites and is generally higher among postmenopausal women.
The concentration of uPAR is known to influence cell surface signaling, adhesion to calls, and growth factor communication and response in breast tissue.
Researchers believe that the ability of wakame seaweed to decrease these receptors may help explain the lower incidence of breast cancer and mortality among postmenopausal women in Japan.
There’s no question about it, science is backing up these amazing benefits of wakame seaweed, and more studies are underway to evaluate its effectiveness as a cancer treatment or preventive measure.
6.- Benefits of wakame seaweed during pregnancy
Folate or B12 is an essential vitamin present within the benefits of wakame seaweed; it is necessary to copy and synthesize DNA, produce new cells, and support nerve and immune function.
Folate is known to be one of the most critical vitamins or a vibrant healthy pregnancy.
For pregnant women, folate deficiency is especially risky because it can lead to neural tube defects such as spina bifida, anencephaly, limb malformations, and heart complications.
Because folate is needed to copy DNA and build new cells, it is vital that pregnant women consume enough folate foods, such as wakame seaweed, to decrease the risk of developmental problems.
7.- Reduce high blood pressure
Several studies have investigated whether the benefits of wakame seaweed can naturally prevent high blood pressure.
One study found that treatment with wakame seaweed significantly lowered systolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Another study in Japan admitted that the wakame diet may have beneficial effects on hypertension.
A study was carried out in 2011 and examined whether seaweed could affect blood pressure in children.
Healthy Japanese preschoolers, ages 3 to 6, measured blood pressure and pulse before and after a three-day period that involved consuming seaweed.
Blood pressure measurements, complete diet records, and parent-reported height and weight were obtained for 223 boys and 194 girls.
The researchers found that girls with the highest seaweed consumption had significantly lower systolic blood pressure readings.
The results suggest that seaweed ingestion was negatively related to diastolic blood pressure in boys and systolic blood pressure in girls, demonstrating that seaweed could have beneficial effects on blood pressure among boys.
8.- Reduces cholesterol naturally
The fucoxanthin present in most of the wakame seaweed benefits serves another function: it stimulates the liver to produce DHA, which helps reduce the amount of harmful cholesterol in the body.
Therefore, it is an excellent food for lowering cholesterol.
One study found that dry wakame seaweed powder altered the activities of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism in the liver in rats.
Rats that were fed diets containing powdered wakame had lower levels of triacylglycerol, suggesting that wakame seaweed is useful as food to prevent hyperlipidemia.
Hyperlipidemia means that there are too many lipids or fats in the blood, this leads to high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which can lead to the development of dangerous pests and blockages.
9.- Good source of iron
The iron in wakame kelp benefits increases red blood cell production and helps with the metabolic enzyme processes the body carries out to digest protein and absorb nutrients from food.
An iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world and is associated with developmental delay, altered behavior, decreased intellectual performance, and decreased resistance to infection.
Excessive iron supplements can cause iron overload and should be avoided, so the safest and surest way to get enough iron per day is to stick to iron-rich foods like wakame.
10.- Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids
Wakame seaweed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is an essential fatty acid because it is not made by the human body, but it is still necessary for normal metabolism.
Omega-3 foods can be used to lower cholesterol, fight depression, reduce anxiety, reverse diabetes, reduce inflammation, relieve arthritis, and promote skin health.
They have also been shown to support weight loss, healthy pregnancy, sports recovery, and thickening of hair and nails.
Due to the excessive consumption of omega-6 fats in the Western world, we must stick to the omega-3 foods that our bodies need.
How to use and cook Wakame seaweed
You can find dry or fresh wakame seaweed; It can be stored in a refrigerator, where it is preserved with sea salt, or it can be found in a sealed package where it is dehydrated and brittle, similar to nori (the seaweed used for rolling sushi).
If you have dehydrated wakame seaweed, start by cutting it into small pieces as it will expand after rehydration.
To rehydrate wakame, soak in water for approximately 30 minutes or until smooth; It can then be added to soups, French fries, and salads. The water used to rehydrate wakame is also packed with nutrients, so it can be used as a base for the soup.
Side effects of wakame seaweed
Although wakame seaweed is a nutritious food that offers a handful of health benefits, it does contain a good amount of sodium, 872 milligrams per 1 ounce of wakame.
People with high blood pressure may want to watch their wakame intake to make sure they are not consuming too much sodium in a day, as sodium works against potassium to lower blood pressure levels.
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