Concerned about Japan? Take a deep breath. Remember that stressful thoughts and emotions don’t help you make clear choices, and chronic stress also doesn’t make you any healthier.
Mainstream media outlets are reporting that the US will not experience any significant radioactive fallout from the nuclear crisis in Japan, and we would have plenty of warning if significant radiation were headed our way. Nevertheless, many skeptics are expressing doubt, and many pharmacies have already experienced runs on supplies of potassium iodide (which is recommended strictly for short-term use before, during, and after significant exposure to radiation).
Although we trust and pray that the world’s people will escape significant radiation exposure, we’ve looked into natural alternatives to potassium iodide and discovered some surprising information.
Iodine (found in salt, sea salt, and seafoods) is an essential nutrient, and though the FDA cautions against overdoing it, some alternative health experts recommend increasing your daily intake from the standard 150 micrograms all the way up to 9 milligrams. Why?
Iodine acts as an antioxidant, helping to shield cell membranes from free radicals. Many studies also suggest that it is a key nutrient for preventing breast cancer and stomach cancer. That’s plenty of reason to up your intake, even in a nuke-free world.
Although you could stock up on iodine supplements, there are plenty of tasty, nutritious ways to increase your iodine intake at the dinner table. Perhaps the best sources of dietary iodine are sea vegetables.
What are the major superfood sea vegetables?
- Irish Moss: originally discovered by the Irish during the potato famine, this ocean algae is rich in iodine, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin K. It’s added as a thickener to all types of food (even hamburgers) under its other name: Carageenan. (Irish Moss is a key ingredient in YogaEarth’s Vitality supplement, by the way)
- Kelp: one quarter of a teaspoon of organic kelp provides 3 milligrams of iodine. This large seaweed which belongs to the brown algae family adds a salty taste to soups, salads or just about any meal. It’s a regular superfood source that’s also very high in other trace minerals.
- Kombu: One of the richest sources for natural iodine, it contains up to 2.5 milligrams per gram. Cook it into your soup stock, keep it dry, or eat it as sashimi.
- Nori: with a much lower amount of iodine, Nori sheets (seaweed sheets to make sushi) contain about 16 micrograms per gram. Time to learn how to make sushi rolls!
- Sea Spaghetti: Each 5-gram portion has half a milligram of iodine. This is also a fantastic product for completely removing grains and pastas from your diet. You can just make your favorite spaghetti sauces using these sea noodles instead! And it contains just 12 calories per serving!
The next time you go out for sushi, try ordering the seaweed salad. Some vegan restaurants (like Real Food Daily in Los Angeles) regularly carry sea vegetables on their menu. Or you could purchase select sea vegetables at your local health-food or asian market and try out this sea veggie recipe at home!
Sea Spaghetti Al Pesto
When soaked, sea spaghetti becomes large and soft like tagliatelle noodles, and when coated in a delicious raw pesto sauce, it is so similar to real pasta you won’t believe your taste buds!
Ingredients:
- 1 package raw sea spaghetti
- 2 ounces fresh basil
- 1/2 cup raw pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 T nutritional yeast (optional, but yummy and rich in B vitamins!)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, and more as needed
- 1/4 t salt, or to taste
Directions:
Soak the sea spaghetti overnight in the fridge. Rinse, if desired, and set aside.
In a food processor, blend all the other ingredients to make pesto. Add a little more olive oil if it’s too dry. Toss the sea spaghetti with the pesto, arrange on a serving plate, and enjoy! (recipe by theRawDivas.org)
