When you become pregnant, many foods are suddenly off limits. Fortunately for seaweed lovers, some types of seaweed are suitable to consume in moderation during pregnancy. In fact, seaweed can provide high levels of nutrients that are essential for fetal development and maternal health.
Edible seaweed includes green, red and brown seaweed. Red seaweed includes nori, the type of seaweed usually used in sushi rolls, as well as dulse, a chewy reddish-brown form often used in soups and stews. The edible form of green seaweed is also known as sea lettuce or ulva and is commonly used in salads or soups. Brown seaweed includes many popular varieties such as kelp, wakame, hijiki and arame.
Benefits of Seaweed
All forms of seaweed contain high concentrations of nutrients that can help a developing baby grow and thrive. The iron in seaweed is highly bioavailable because of the high vitamin C content also present in these sea vegetables. Vitamin C helps the body absorb and use iron. Seaweed is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for fetal brain development. Other nutrients present in seaweed include folate, choline, calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin K. Seaweed is also a good source of fiber, which can help reduce constipation and improve digestive function during pregnancy.
Brown seaweed is extremely high in iodine, and can be a good source of this important nutrient during pregnancy as long as the pregnant mother does not consume too much. The recommended daily intake of iodine during pregnancy is 220 micrograms, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Many pregnant women, even those who show no symptoms of an obvious deficiency, get less than this amount. One gram of seaweed contains between 16 and 2,984 micrograms per serving, with brown seaweed containing the highest amounts. One serving of brown seaweed per week is a safe amount for pregnant women, according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Because green and red seaweed have much lower levels of iodine, you do not need to limit your consumption of them to once a week as long as you consume them in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet.
Seaweed snacks and recipes that include seaweed often contain high levels of sodium, so check package labels before eating packaged seaweed. Fresh seaweed or reduced-sodium dried seaweed may be a better alternative. Pregnant women may also want to avoid hijiki because the UK Food Standards Agency warns consumers that samples have been found to contain high levels of arsenic.
Articles For Your Diet
- European Food Information Council: Seaweed - Exploring Its Dietary Value
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute: Ulva
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Advice on Brown Seaweed for Pregnant Women, Breastfeeding Women and Children
- The Journal of Nutrition: High Iron Content and Bioavailability in Humans from Four Species of Marine Algae.
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements : Iodine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Decosahexaenoic Acid
- Pregnancy image by Andrey Andreev from Fotolia.com