Have you ever wondered about making sea moss a part of your diet? Sea Moss also known as Irish moss is mainly found along the coastlines of Europe, North America, British Isles, etc. This spiny sea vegetable has recently gained huge popularity throughout the globe as a superfood. Containing multiple minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, sea moss is said to be extremely healthy. Coming in various colors that range from greenish yellow to dark purple, it can single-handedly satisfy many of your nutritional requirements.
If so, then is sea moss good for diabetics? Can sea moss help one with their weight loss? How beneficial is adding sea moss to your diet going to be? In this article, we will go ahead and explore all the specifications of sea moss. We will also explore questions like whether sea moss is good for diabetics, whether sea moss supports thyroid health and even how can one easily add it to their daily diet.
Sea Moss Nutrition Facts
Sea moss contains vitamins like A, C, D, E, K, and all types of vitamin B like B1, B2, B9, B12, etc. Sea moss as a source of chromium also contains other minerals like zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, calcium, potassium, and iodine.
It also contains several potent antioxidants that will fight against cellular damage caused by free radicals. Some of the antioxidants seen in sea moss are flavonoids and polyphenols. Sea moss is also a rich source of dietary fiber and further has very low fat and calorie content.
Further, sea moss also contains beneficial fatty acids like omega 3, omega 6, etc., and is an excellent source of high-quality protein. Now, let’s go ahead and examine is sea moss good for diabetics.
How Sea Moss May Help Manage Blood Sugar of Individuals?
Before finding, out if sea moss is good for diabetics, let’s find out how sea moss may help manage the blood sugar of individuals. As we already know, sea moss is an excellent source of various nutrients. All of these nutrients play a major role in managing one’s blood sugar level.
The soluble fiber contained in sea moss manages to slow down the speed of digestion thereby delaying the absorption of sugar. This will prevent one from experiencing sugar crashes thereby maintaining a steady blood sugar level.
Further, sea moss also can inhibit the function of an enzyme called alpha-amylase. By doing so sea moss will manage to slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugar. Slowing down this conversion will help individuals to manage their blood sugar levels without facing any sort of ups and downs.
As sea moss is a source of chromium and other minerals like magnesium, chromium, etc. it will help individuals in optimizing their glucose metabolism and insulin function. Last but not least the sea moss by acting like a DDP-4 inhibitor, prevents the breakdown of incretin which also explains how sea moss may help manage blood sugar individuals.
Sea Moss and Insulin Sensitivity
Does sea moss and insulin sensitivity have any relationship with each other? Can sea moss manage to improve insulin sensitivity? Let’s find out.
Chronic inflammation is a significant contributor to insulin resistance. The antioxidants in sea moss and anti-inflammatory compounds like alginate and fucoidans will manage to fight against this inflammation. These anti-inflammatory effects of sea moss will help improve one’s insulin sensitivity.
Further, all the minerals present in sea moss like magnesium, chromium, etc. are important for the proper functioning of insulin. The prebiotic fiber that promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria also manages to improve one’s insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Last but not least, fucoxanthin, one of the carotenoids in sea moss will activate the function of a protein called AMPK thereby regulating and improving the insulin sensitivity of cells.
So, when one looks at all the properties of sea moss, the answer to the question, “Is sea moss good for diabetics” is pretty evident, right? Yes, sea moss can help individuals suffering from diabetes. As we have now established it, let’s go ahead and gather more information about sea moss.
Can Sea Moss Aid Weight Loss?
So, can sea moss aid weight loss? Let’s see. The soluble fiber in sea moss forms a gel-like substance that manages to slow down digestion thereby making the food stay in your body for longer. Further, it also manages to lower the rate of fat absorption during the digestive process thereby reducing the production of fat cells.
The prebiotic in sea moss by improving the gut microbiome also improves digestion but slows down the whole process, thereby reducing the cravings, and helping one to reduce their daily intake of calories. So, if used properly sea moss can help individuals lose weight.
Sea Moss Supports Thyroid Health
Does sea moss support thyroid health? Can sea moss help individuals maintain one’s thyroid health? The short answer is yes. Sea moss is a rich source of iodine one of the crucial minerals used by the thyroid. The thyroid gland uses up iodine to produce thyroid hormones which will help one to regulate one’s metabolism, development, etc.
Further, the selenium in sea moss will help the body to regulate thyroid hormone metabolism and the anti-inflammatory components in it will reduce the inflammation thereby helping the thyroid gland to function properly. So, yes, sea moss supports thyroid health.
Easy Ways to Add Sea Moss to Your Diet
Now, let’s take a look at some of the easy ways to add sea moss to your diet. Hopefully, it will help you to access this extremely nutritious food daily.
- Add sea moss to smoothies or juices. By adding soaked sea moss you will be able to add a creamy texture to your drink.
- Powdered sea moss can be added to foods like soups, sauces, stews, etc. It will act as a natural thickener.
- Sea moss gel made from soaked sea moss can be added to foods like yogurt, pudding, oatmeal, etc.
- It can be used as an egg replacement in baking recipes.
- One can also stir the powdered form of sea moss into hot beverages like tea, coffee, etc. It will act as a nutrient boost for you.
Should Diabetics Take Sea Moss Supplements?
So, we have already found the answer to, “Is sea moss good for diabetics”. Now, we have to figure out whether should diabetics take sea moss supplements. Is adding it to one’s diet is sufficient? One can use sea moss supplements as a part of one’s balanced diet. But before doing that it will be better to consult a healthcare professional. But one doesn’t have to necessarily take sea moss supplements to get its benefits.
You can get the benefits of sea moss by making it a part of your diet too. So, taking sea moss supplements is entirely a personal choice. Irrespective of how you add it, making sea moss a part of one’s diet is extremely beneficial to one’s health.
Conclusion
So, sea moss is a very nutritious food source that is rich in multiple forms of nutrients. If used properly it can improve one’s well-being. So, adding sea moss to your diet is a good idea. It will help you to easily access a whole group of vitamins, minerals, etc. that will help your body to function more efficiently. But, sea moss alone will not help you to meet your nutrient requirements. Ensure to add sea moss as a part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle to access all of its benefits.
So, what do you think about sea moss? Are you planning to include it in your diet? Share your experience with sea moss in the comments below.
