Medicine from the sea - medicinal qualities of sea plants - includes related articles and a list of sources - The Herbalist

Mindy Green, an herbalist at the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colo., believes everyone can benefit from seaweed in the diet. "It's highly nutritious and is a good source of minerals that are often short in the diets of women, especially vegetarian and vegan women, such as iron, calcium, iodine and magnesium," said Green. Her personal preference is for a kelp wildcrafted off the northern coast of Washington state. She either toasts the kelp or nibbles on chunky chips of it as a snack. Green also favors a thick seaweed called kombu in vegetable soups and stews along with astragalus in the winter and uses hijiki and wakame in salads.

One caution about seaweed from herbalist C.J. Puotenon, a columnist for the Northeast Herbalist Association Journal published in New York. She points to a commonly overlooked cause of acne flare-ups: iodine, which explains why herbal treatments that emphasize kelp can sometimes make the problem worse in individuals who are iodine-sensitive. So if you avoid iodine-containing salts and seafoods or iodine-based therapies because they trigger acne problems, add seaweed to the "to be avoided" list.

Dulse Cold Cure

Herbalist Susun S. Weed from Woodstock, N.Y., swears by this seaweed cold remedy. Traditionally, seafaring folk added a bit of rum.

Handful of dulse 1 quart hot water Honey and lemon to taste

Soak a handful of dulse for 10-15 minutes in enough hot water to cover. Then cook the dulse in that water, at very low heat, for 15-20 minutes. Strain. Save seaweed; add to soup or compost. To the liquid, add honey and lemon juice to taste.

Ginger Webb is an herbalist and a staff writer for HerbalGram, the quarterly publication of the American Botanical Council. She resides in Austin, Texas.

Quick Guide to Sea Vegetables

Although some might find the marine odor and taste of seaweed initially unappealing, seaweed connoisseurs are often made, not born. For most of us, seaweed is definitely an acquired taste. Packaged, dried seaweed is available in most natural food stores and Asian markets. However, by far the best seaweed is from wildcrafters, people who gather and dry seaweed themselves along the coastlines. Wildcrafters tend to be conscientious, conscious of quality and environmental concerns such as pollution and overharvesting. You are ready to try seaweed but don't know how to add it to your diet? Here are eight ways:

1 Make sushi rolls with sheets of nori, wrapping them around rice and vegetables

2 Crumble over rice, baked potatoes or casserole dishes

3 Add to spaghetti sauce or quiche as a thickening agent

4 Make into a hot broth or add to soup stock

5 Stir-fry with tofu and vegetables

6 Nibble an it instead of potato chips or sprinkle on your popcorn

7 Add to beans, soups or stews: especially good with miso soup

8 Add raw to fresh garden salads

Where to

Order

If you can't find a local source from which to buy wildcrafted sea vegetables, here are several mail order sources that stock them:

Ryan Drum Waldron Island, WA 98297