The market for seaweed as human food originated in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, etc.) and probably did so for functional reasons. There are high population levels in Southeast Asia, and ocean fishing is a necessary contributory food source. If you cast or drag a net close to shore, you tend to get seaweed as well as fish. Ocean Marine life hides among seaweeds and other aquatic plants (algae is another term for aquatic plants), predatory fish hunt prey there, and many fish and sea mammals eat it. Seaweed is the term most often used for oceanic aquatic plants that are collected intentionally, accidentally, or washed up on shore.
Seaweed must be harvested and prepared fresh to make it fit for human consumption. The consumer must offer or seek some description and guarantee that the harvest was made in uncontaminated water. If you are not a relatively poor resident of overcrowded Southeast Asia, why would you eat seaweed? Because you can. British chefs have been particularly noted for advancing the use of seaweed in high-end cooking. “Crispy Duck and Seaweed” is one such dish.
What about the nutritional value of seaweed? You can search it on the web. Be skeptical when the website is framed with advertisements for seaweed products. Expect to see attributes like high fiber, several vitamins and minerals that provide a small percentage of the daily human requirement in a single serving, antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, low calories, and qualities to help you manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and to Low cholesterol. The news is not all good: the seaweed may be high in iodine and may have absorbed heavy metals (cadmium, mercury, lead, aluminum).
How do algae smell? I saved the best for last. It smells good if it is prepared and consumed quickly after being harvested fresh from clean ocean water. As it decomposes, the algae smells like rotten eggs. This is why you won’t find raw kelp in a grocery aisle nestled next to sprouts and lettuce. That’s also why I titled this article “fried seaweed chips.” People of Western civilization, as a group, tend to shy away from unfamiliar food that is dark in appearance, somewhat slimy, and if the smell triggers the gag reflex. But, if one offers that same fried food, too salty and in the form of French fries, well, pass the bag! If you like fries, you might be able to find a local restaurant that serves fresh seaweed. “Oh, and can I get ‘Crispy Duck’ with that?”
Jesus ate fish, but the Christian Bible does not mention any consumption of seaweed. Being born into the Jewish community, he likely followed the ancient Hebrew dietary guidelines, which forbade eating shellfish, pork, or any animal that ate dead things. While Jesus walked the Earth as a human, his journey was within the confines of Judea and Galilee. His ministry only lasted about three years and, mainly, he taught his chosen disciples about God and what God wants humans to do. Jesus powerfully demonstrated to them that he was the Son of God. Through the surviving disciples, Christian ministry developed, and yes, today you will find Christians in Southeast Asia praying to God the Father before enjoying a meal of freshly harvested kelp with fish.
