Oh my goodness...I accidentally skipped the letter N!!! And this was my favorite veggie to talk about...so I'm going back to it. My rules.
Nori is Japanese for dried seaweed, also known as "sea vegetable", and like land plants it too undergoes photosynthesis to harness the sun's energy for food. It is actually an algae, which is less "advanced" in structure than plants on land, but does share some similar characteristics. There are many non-edible varieties, particularly those living in fresh water, but the types eaten in Asian, Icelandic, Irish, and many other coastal cuisines for centuries are rich in nutrients. Here in California we typically find nori wrapped around our sushi roll. It took some maturity for me to appreciate the taste of seaweed, but now I even enjoy munching on a sheet of it by itself!
HOW GOOD IT IS FOR YOU:
+ just one sheet (about 2g) has 10 calories: 1g carbs and 1g protein
+ 20% daily vitamin A, and 2% iron, 4% calcium, 14% folate, 4% riboflavin, 7% magnesium, 20% manganese
+ contains phytochemicals not found in land plants which are used in Asia to strengthen the immune system and fight infection
+ also rich in iodine, which is necessary for thyroid functioning, and so used to treat goiter
FUN FACTS:
+ the cultivation and exportation of seaweed from Asia is a $2 billion industry
+ in Belize seaweed is mixed into a drink of milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla...sounds pretty good to me!
+ carrageenan and agar are derived from seaweed, used as thickeners in many food products (as well as toothpaste and cosmetics)
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