Kelp Me Out!

Posted Tue, 06/08/2010 - 11:44 by Melissa

Sometimes people ask me where I get my iodine. I get most of it from seaweed. I find seaweed to be absolutely delicious, but not all types of seaweed are good sources of iodine. Nori, for example, has only 15 ppm iodine, whereas kelp has 500-1500 ppm. What does kelp taste like? It tastes briny to me and I greatly enjoy it with braised pork dishes. I first had pork and seaweed at a small ramen bar on the Upper East Side and I feel in love with the sea salty silky fatty combination. At home I use these organic kelp granules from Maine in place of salt. The back of the container recommends 1/4 teaspoon on average, but up to several teaspoons for those who may be deficient. It references a book called Iodine: Why You Need It by David Brownstein, which I definitely want to check out.

However, kelp isn't for everyone. Some people dislike its very strong flavor. If you aren't eating a lot of seafood, you might want to take it in pill form.

Expect more posts on iodine in the future...I haven't been posting much because I'm terribly behind with work, but hopefully I can get caught up soon!

Comments

Thanks for reminding me about

by Christian W - 06/09/2010 - 09:49

Thanks for reminding me about kelp granules. I need to get that stuff.

I have never tried seaweed

by Primal Toad - 06/09/2010 - 07:30

I have never tried seaweed before but have been wanting too. Next time I buy some pork I will have to get some seaweed too!

I like seaweeds too, however

by Erin - 06/08/2010 - 19:32

I like seaweeds too, however I have to watch how much and often I eat it cause my body doesn't digest all of it well. I rarely indulge in sushi because of it.

Thanks for the reminder: I

by Laura - 06/08/2010 - 15:34

Thanks for the reminder: I just remembered to sprinkle some dulse on my oxtail soup. Good stuff!

You can find this product in

by Douglas - 06/08/2010 - 13:42

You can find this product in Whole Foods as well. I've been using it too as a seasoning. I just need to add more seaweed into the diet as an actual dish though, unless I want to start consuming this stuff whole by the tablespoon.

I've been lurking on your

by Lydia - 06/08/2010 - 12:43

I've been lurking on your blog for a long time, but I wanted to pipe up with my appreciation for this information. Now that I no longer have a local source for Lugol's Solution in an aqueous tincture, I'm pleased to find a possible alternative. Even better--my local food co-op has this very brand on their shelves.

Thank you!

I really like dulse too. It

by Stephan - 06/08/2010 - 12:31

I really like dulse too. It was traditionally eaten in Northeastern US states. It tastes awesome and you can just snack on it raw (dried).