Sea moss: Healthy or just a trend?
Sea moss, also called Irish moss or red seaweed, is a type of algae that grows in the waters off the coast of North America. It is often used to add thickness to ice cream, pudding and cottage cheese. More recently, sea moss has been promoted as a “super supplement.” Claire Edgemon, senior registered dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine, explains whether sea moss actually has health and nutritional benefits or if it’s just a trend.
“Sea moss has protein, fiber and a ton of vitamins and minerals,” Edgemon said.
She adds that if you’re eating a healthy diet with lean proteins, vegetables and fruits, you are still going to get the vitamins and minerals that sea moss provides.
“The best way to take sea moss is in gel form,” Edgemon said. “You can add it to food and drinks. It can help make smoothies, juices and soups.”
When in gel form, sea moss has a similar consistency to aloe vera. It has a slimy texture because it is grown in water and has a fishy taste similar to clams or oysters. If you don’t prefer sea moss in gel form, capsule or gummy supplements are available.
“As a reminder, the Food and Drug Administration does not approve supplements before they come to market, so if there are any potential concerns with sea moss capsules, it wouldn’t be addressed until there is a problem,” Edgemon said. “A lot of times with supplements, you don’t know what you are getting because it isn’t regulated.”
Edgemon recommends verifying that the sea moss capsules carry a third-party seal that shows they have undergone analysis.
There are side effects to ingesting sea moss; because it grows in the water, it will pick up whatever is in it.
“If the water is an area with industrial pollution, it can pick up heavy and toxic metals,” Edgemon said.
The daily use of sea moss depends on the person. If you’re allergic to seafood, stay away. Sea moss is very high in iodine. Edgemon says that people who have issues with their thyroid should be cautious when eating it. Sea moss also has vitamin K, so if people are on blood thinners, vitamin K can interfere with it.
“There is not a lot of research for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding to take sea moss, so be cautious. If you want to take sea moss, the recommendation is 4 to 8 grams per day,” Edgemon said.
By Taylor Barnes
