Vista issue #130 May/June 2020

Page 16

FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Lower Cholesterol Seaweed helps prevent an unhealthy build up of cholesterol, a substance that can lead to heart disease. Certain animal studies have shown that supplementing diets with seaweed can reduce so called “bad cholesterol” by nearly 50 per cent, even while raising levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.

Lose Weight Like all high-fibre, low-calorie foods, seaweed can help you lose weight by enhancing your feelings of fullness without packing on the pounds. Additionally, algae’s special compounds, including fucoxanthin, may help with weight loss by supporting your body’s natural metabolic processes.

Control Blood Sugar This sea vegetable’s fucoxanthin compound isn’t just helpful for supporting weight loss. It also likely helps blood sugar levels to remain stable. Of course, when blood sugar is stable, you can avoid “peaks” and “crashes” in your energy.

Seaweed

Seaweed is the umbrella term for the wide variety of algae that grow in our oceans and rivers. This sea vegetable removes carbon from our environments, adds distinctive flavours to our cuisines, and truly deserves the distinction of being called a superfood. 16

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Improve Digestion Because it is so rich in fibre, seaweed helps promote healthier digestion and reduces the discomfort of constipation. But it doesn’t just act on the elimination systems of your body; it also boosts beneficial bacterial growth in your gut. A more diverse microbiome leads to a wide variety of good health outcomes.

Reduce Free Radical Damage Algae’s high concentrations of antioxidants are a boon to lifelong health, because they fight the free radicals that harm us in a variety of ways. Free radicals, which attack our bodies as a result of exposure to harmful environmental elements, are linked with everything from chronic disease to premature aging.


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