What You Don't Know About Seaweed

The idea of eating seaweed might sound a bit odd, but if you’ve ever had sushi before, then you’ve already done it! The black paper-like sheet that holds your fish and rice together, called nori, is just one of the many types of edible seaweeds.

Nori comes from Japan, as does hijiki, arame, wakame, and kombu, while the Philippines gives us crunchy guso, and Korea provides gim. There are actually over 400 seaweed varieties in the world, but these are some of the most popular.

They may have exotic names and come from faraway lands, but seaweed is a healthful food you don’t want to exclude from your regular diet. Loaded with minerals and antioxidants, it can be used in a variety of dishes, from seaweed soup and sushi to salads and grain dishes.

Despite its popularity in Asian countries, seaweed is not typically found outside of Japanese restaurants here in the US. So, I think it’s safe to say most people don’t know a lot about seaweed. Check out these 7 surprising facts about seaweed, and impress your friends the next time you go out for sushi!