Seaweed chips - is it worth reaching for them?

An interesting proposal for those looking for a healthier alternative to popular potato snacks. Seaweed chips not only have an intriguing taste, but also significantly more nutritional value. However, before purchasing them, it's worth getting familiar with the product's ingredients.

Chips, very popular especially in Japan and South Korea, are usually made from nori. This name hides various species of seaweeds from the division Rhodophyta, which were eaten in the Land of the Rising Sun long ago. The oldest records about them come from the collection of laws "Taiho ritsuryo" from the year 701 - seaweeds were then used to pay tribute to the rulers. Already in the 17th century, the first farms cultivating seaweeds appeared off the coast of Japan. Today, it is an advanced branch of agriculture in many Far East countries.

Nori is used in many ways. Its pressed sheets are primarily used for wrapping sushi, but another interesting product made from algae, which has already been mentioned, are chips, also available in US.

This is a very interesting alternative to the popular snacks made from potatoes in our country, which are consumed too frequently are not beneficial for health. Seaweed chips have significantly more nutritional value. They are a very rich source of vitamins (A, B, C, E, K, PP) and minerals, especially calcium, iron, iodine, sodium, copper, zinc, and cobalt. Maritime algae also provide easily digestible protein and dietary fiber. Therefore, they regulate the digestive system, help remove harmful toxins, show antibacterial and anticoagulant effects.

Seaweed chips are not only a tasty snack, but also an excellent topping for dishes, especially Asian cuisine. They serve as an addition to cooked and fried rice, oriental salads, pancakes, or oriental soups.

Before purchasing seaweed chips, it's worth checking the ingredients list, which should be as short as possible. Above all, pay attention to the seaweed content (you can find chips on the market that contain over 60 percent, although there are also those where seaweed is only about 25 percent). The list of ingredients should also be limited to oil (canola, sesame) and spices, most often salt, but there are also specialties with additions such as roasted black sesame.

Unfortunately, it often tends to be much longer. Sometimes the product of this type contains the most... wheat flour. Palm oil also appears in it quite often, and it's in the form of hardened oil, providing the snack with the desired crunchiness and extending its shelf life. The problem with that, though, is that such a form of vegetable fats significantly contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases, as well as promotes obesity, disrupts the functioning of the respiratory and reproductive systems, and many organs, including the brain and pancreas. The so-called trans fats also lead to chronic inflammation, which can result in tumors.

There are also plenty of chemical "flavor enhancers" in chips, such as disodium guanylate (E 627) or disodium inosinate (E 631), which, if consumed excessively, may cause overstimulation, constipation, or kidney problems.

Let's also avoid chips enriched with sugar. US people are already consuming it in excess, as a result, more and more of them are struggling with overweight or obesity. Sucrose acidifies the body and provides a good breeding ground for microorganisms, which often results in tooth decay.

We can also prepare seaweed chips ourselves, for example, with dulse, which are red-pink algae grown in the cold waters of the Atlantic and Pacific. They have a pleasant, slightly nutty taste and provide a powerful portion of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

How to prepare a tasty and healthy snack? Just soak dried seaweed for five minutes in water (it will then increase in volume several times), sprinkle with spices (e.g., paprika), and briefly fry in a pan or bake in the oven. We consume it after it cools down.

We can also prepare chips from nori. We spray a seaweed sheet with water, and then lay another algae layer on it, so that they stick together. Using a brush, we smear them with oil (e.g. sesame), then cut them into small squares with scissors. We sprinkle them with our favorite spices (e.g. salt, spicy paprika or garlic), place them in an oven preheated to 284 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-20 minutes.