Sea moss, pickle poppers, and more ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
| What's the deal with sea moss? |
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| The last time I was in LA I stopped by Erewhon. I mostly go to check out the Primal Kitchen offerings (I still get a kick out of seeing it on store shelves) and grab wine (they have a great selection of natural wines), but I also like looking at the products only they seem to carry—$40 smoothies, $15 glass jars of dried mangos, that sort of thing. One of the most persistent is sea moss. They’ve got sea moss gummies, sea moss smoothies, sea moss powder, and many other incarnations of sea moss. So what is sea moss, exactly? Get to Know Sea Moss Sea moss is a type of red seaweed that’s been used traditionally in Ireland and other cold water coastal cultures for everything from nutrition to folk medicine. The real name is Irish sea moss, or Chondrus crispus, although many commercial products use a related red seaweed called Gracilaria, which grows in warmer waters like the Caribbean. They’re pretty similar, both containing the gel-like polysaccharide carrageenan. When heated with water, carrageenan forms a jelly-like substance that thickens and binds. That’s why sea moss gel has become a popular “vegan gelatin” and supplement base: it’s inert, holds texture well, and can be flavored easily. Nutritional Breakdown of Sea Moss What really makes sea moss stand out is its mineral content. According to one study1 I looked at, here’s what you can expect to get from a typical 4-gram dose of dry weight Chondrus crispus: Sodium: 171 mg Potassium: 127 mg Phosphorus: 5.4 mg Calcium: 44.8 mg Magnesium: 29.3 mg Iron: 0.68 mg Zinc: 0.29 mg Manganese: 0.053 mg Copper: <0.02 mg Iodine: 0.98 mg (980 mcg) That’s not bad, but the iodine is quite high. The recommended daily intake for adults is 150 mcg per day. More for pregnant and lactating women, less for kids. There is some indication that higher levels might be okay (many Asian countries have much higher daily intakes), but I would caution against using sea moss as a consistent “mineral source” given the iodine content. On the other hand, another study2 looking only at the iodine content of sea moss found dramatically lower levels: 0.015 mg per 4 g dry weight. Either one study is wrong or sea moss iodine content can vary wildly. Potential Benefits People take sea moss for all kinds of reasons: gut health, thyroid support, skin clarity, immune boosts, weight loss, libido, you name it. Let’s look at what holds up. Thyroid Support: Iodine is required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones like T3 and T4. If you’re deficient in iodine, sea moss might help, but you have to get the dose right. With the uncertainty over sea moss’s iodine content, you may be overdoing or underdoing it without any good way to know which. Gut Health: Sea moss contains prebiotic fibers which can feed beneficial gut bacteria. I’d guess that it’s probably beneficial—but not transformative—for gut health. And it’s certainly not unique in that respect. Immune Function: Sea moss contains bioactive compounds that might (emphasis on might) have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Interesting? Sure. But not a reason to bet your immune health on sea moss. What It Doesn’t Do Provide collagen. Some sea moss sellers claim that their products are made up of “collagen proteins” that reinforce connective tissue in your body. This is untrue. Sea moss doesn’t contain the amino acids that create the gelatin effect in true collagen. Risks and Side Effects of Sea Moss The biggest risk is iodine overload. Always check with your doctor if you’re on thyroid meds and considering sea moss. Seaweed can also absorb heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic from seawater. All in all, most sea moss seems pretty clean, so I wouldn’t worry too much about contamination. If you’re worried, check third party tests that reputable brands will often provide. What about carrageenan? Refined, isolated carrageenan—the food additive used as emulsifier, gelling agent, and stabilizer—has been linked to gut inflammation and elevated inflammatory cytokines in animal studies. While I’m sure you can overdo sea moss, carrageenan doesn’t seem like an issue in normal amounts of consumed seaweed. So, Should You Take It? If you like it, and it agrees with you, sure. I’d recommend sea moss gel over gummies. Powders and capsules are fine, too. Either way, look at the nutrient content. Make sure you’re getting a good product and not using it as a stand-in for other key nutrients like collagen or omega-3s that sea moss doesn’t even provide. And remember: while sea moss is a decent source of some minerals and polysaccharides, so is a ton of other food. Hell, so are plenty of other seaweeds like nori and kelp. It’s not magic. It won’t detox your body or balance your hormones. But it will thicken your smoothie and perhaps nudge your iodine intake in the right direction. |
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| Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Pickles |
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| Jalapeño popper meets Buffalo chicken dip in this tasty appetizer mashup that went viral on social. We used Van Holten’s Big Papa pickles to create our stuffed pickles, so they’re more like pickle boats, but you can also opt for smaller dills. |
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| Better Ingredients, Better Buffalo |
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| Premium buffalo sauce crafted from real, high-quality ingredients like avocado oil. Experience the classic taste and creaminess you love, made even better. |
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