Algae & Atlantic seaweed.
What Are Complex Carbohydrates/fibers?
U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop in his 1988 Report on
Nutrition and Health recommended reduction in four areas (fats and cholesterol,
weight, sodium and alcohol). Only one area received a positive recommendation,
"complex carbohydrates and fiber." The report says: "Increase
consumption of whole grain foods and cereal products, vegetables (including
dried beans and peas), and fruits." High-fiber vegetable foods including
sea vegetables are the healthiest choices for human nutrition, and intake of
these foods is associated with lowered incidences of hypertension, cancer,
arthritis, diabetes, etc. Complex carbohydrates, or polysaccharides, are made
mostly of long strands of simple sugars. They are found in grains, fruits,
legumes (peas and beans), and other vegetables. Complex carbohydrates include
three types of dietary fiber - cellulose, hemicelluloses and gums - and
starches. A single starch molecule may contain from 300 to 1,000 or more sugar
units. The giant molecules are packed side by side in a plant root or seed,
providing energy for the plant.
Seaweed is very rich in polysaccharides while land plant
rich in cellulose. Polysaccharides are more flexible then cellulose. Land
plants need cellulose to be able to stand up. (Pull of gravity). Seaweed floats
in the water no pull. Lack of fiber typical a problem of Western
society. The term ‘dietary fiber’ is defined as plant material that resists
Digestion by the secreted enzymes of the human alimentary tract. However
they may be fermented by micro flora in the colon. Most hydrocolloids can be
listed as fiber. Increased fiber consumption has been associated
with lowering total serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, modifying
the glycolic and insulinemic response and protecting the large intestine from
disease.
Seaweeds
itself constitute a source of dietary fiber that differ chemically and
physio-chemically from those of land plants and induce different physiological
effects. Referenced data indicates that algal dietary fiber may show important
functional activities, such as antioxidant, anti-mutagenic and anticoagulant
effect, anti-tumor activity, and an important role in the modification of lipid
metabolism in human body.
Main source of information: National
library of Medicine(Entrez PubMed)- Type In Search Box: “Seaweed”, kelp, or
fucoidan. Or go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.ib.gov/entrez/query.fcgi. There you can find more than over 500+ international scientific
studies/publications. Most of them looking very promising.
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Seaweed is very rich in polysaccharides while land plant
rich in cellulose. Polysaccharides are more flexible then cellulose. Land
plants need cellulose to be able to stand up. (Pull of gravity). Seaweed floats
in the water no pull. Lack of fiber typical a problem of Western
society. The term ‘dietary fiber’ is defined as plant material that resists
Digestion by the secreted enzymes of the human alimentary tract. However
they may be fermented by micro flora in the colon. Most hydrocolloids can be
listed as fiber. Increased fiber consumption has been associated
with lowering total serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, modifying
the glycolic and insulinemic response and protecting the large intestine from
disease.
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Integrate seaweed or algae into the daily diet as food
supplements can have far-reaching results. Prevention more important than cure.
Therefore an increase in their consumption would
elevate the foods offer to population. We cannot find enough of the special
nutrients and trace elements in our basic diet alone to make us really function
.Seaweed is packed with easy-to-absorb proteins,
vitamins, minerals and lipids, it can protect against environmental pollution
and ward off aging. |
