Kelp pills have been selling out on the west coast of the United States since the nuclear disaster started due to concerns about fallout from the nuclear disaster in Japan. This is because kelp contains high levels of natural iodine which, when the thyroid absorbs it, prevents the thyroid from uptaking harmful levels of radioactive iodine present in nuclear fallout.
So now that so many people have kelp in their medicine cabinet we thought it would be a good time to talk about all of kelp's health benefits.
Natural Source of Iodine
As we mentioned above, kelp protects against radiation poisoning due to its high iodine content. Iodine is also important for the thyroid, immune system, and female hormone regulation.
Iodine is essential to the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland. Kelp's high levels of iodine help to regulate thyroid hormones.
It has long been known that Japanese women, whose diets are rich in kelp, have lower rates of ovarian, breast, and endometrial cancer. A study at UC Berkeley found that a diet containing kelp lowered serum estradiol levels in women and had phytoestrogenic properties.
One researcher found that women with endometriosis who supplemented with 700 mg of kelp capsules per day had a significant reduction in pain.
Kelp contains fucoidan, a complex carbohydrate that is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Sea vegetables contain antioxidants not found in other vegetables and researchers are still discovering all the benefits they might have.
High in Iron
Kelp is a great natural source of iron.