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What’s this
Kombu seaweed is a seaweed that has been consumed by oriental cultures fresh or dried for centuries. In reality, when we talk about kombu or konbu we are not referring to a single species, but to a sub-variety of brown algae belonging to the Laminaria group, such as Laminaria japonica and Laminaria digitata. These are algae that grow on the surface of waters in different parts of the world including Brittany in the case of digitata and Japan for japonica. In oriental cultures the use ofkombu seaweed in the kitchen it is very widespread, since these algae give the dishes the flavor defined umami, that is savory, due to the glutamate content. Algae in general, not only kombu algae, have long been consumed in various parts of the world and especially in the East, not only for their organoleptic characteristics but also for their properties.
Thanks to the presence of vitamins, minerals (including calcium and iodine), fibers, polysaccharides, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, the kombu seaweed is for example considered a superfood, i.e. a food capable of providing precious molecules in a concentrated way, with health benefits. Available commercially dried or in powder, rarely fresh, kombu seaweed can be used as an alternative to salt or added to soups and soups to which it gives taste and beneficial properties.
Property
Kombu seaweed is a low calorie food as well rich in nutrients. The regular serving of kombu (about a sheet of dried seaweed) provides just over 10 calories but is high in sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, this seaweed contains vitamins (C, A, E, K and B vitamins), iodine, iron, manganese and copper. This combination of vitamins and minerals makes kombu a nutritious and antioxidant food. In particular, iodine is a mineral not very present in our diet and essential in the synthesis of thyroid hormones and its intake is especially important during growth, pregnancy and breastfeeding. The kombu seaweed can therefore be considered an alternative to iodized salt due to its iodine content with a lower sodium content.
The kombu seaweed also contains fibers, important to increase the sense of satiety and better control body weight, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Clearly, however, the intake of fiber from the kombu seaweed is quite limited when it is used only for flavoring (an entire package of kombu seaweed contains about 4% of the recommended daily intake of fibers). The presence of omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) is also interesting in the kombu seaweed, which are important for the health and development of the brain and for reducing inflammatory states. An adequate intake of omega 3 also contributes to reducing blood triglycerides and therefore to the health of the cardiovascular system. Of the different varieties of algae, kombu provides the largest amounts of both EPA and DHA. Thanks to the presence of a carotenoid known as fucoxanthin, the kombu seaweed also exhibits properties antioxidants, useful for counteracting the damage caused by free radicals and the onset of chronic diseases. Finally, the presence of polysaccharides gives this alga properties immunomodulators.
How to use
The kombu seaweed is in fact very widespread in Japan and in general in the East where it is used in recipes for soups, broths, fish dishes. whole or pulverized, instead of salt. It is used for example to prepare dashi, a typical dish based on dried fish and kombu seaweed. This seaweed is also popular as a crunchy snack when snacking, fried or roasted. In our kitchen it is often used to soften the chickpeas during soaking and cooking. In vegetarian and vegan recipes, kombu seaweed is added to the cooking water of seitan – a preparation based on wheat gluten that replaces meat – and in the creation of alternative soy-based drinks to milk, to increase its intake. of football. Kombu seaweed can be bought in shops specializing in natural or ethnic foods, in some herbalists and in well-stocked supermarkets. It is sold dried in sheets and is used by adding small quantities, indicatively from three to five centimeters of seaweed up to a whole sheet. L’fresh kombu seaweed on the other hand, it is very difficult to find: to consume it in salads, the dried seaweed is usually rehydrated in water.
How is it preserved?
Kombu seaweed is generally sold dried and packaged. For the purchase it is preferable to choose quality products, so as to avoid adulterations, and to exclude the presence of heavy metals and pollutants or the addition of additional salt. Once opened, it can be kept for a long time at room temperature in a airtight container away from moisture.
Contraindications
The kombu seaweed is a food that has no toxicity and its consumption has no particular side effects. Use is not recommended in case of allergy, in people with thyroid dysfunction and in those who take anticoagulant drugs.
