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New additions to our every growing Herbs & Spices section

We have had a steady stream of requests for a greater selection of seaweed in our Bulk Department. We have new additions this week to meet those requests.

Dulse Flakes

Dulse is a red seaweed that possesses a mildly spicy, salted flavor. It can be eaten in this form or soaked in water and added to soups and salads, stir-fires, and other dishes. Other culinary uses for dulse involve grinding the dried seaweed into a powder to be utilized as a garnish, or fried into crispy, tasty chips. Harvested off the coast of the North Atlantic ocean, dulse is also used to compliment seafood, vegetables, grain dishes, and can even be baked in breads and muffins. Because the sea vegetable is so versatile, it is an excellent way to ensure you get a good source of many essential vitamins and nutrients in your daily meals, and it is especially good for vegetarians as a way to receive a good dose of non-animal protein. Dulse is extremely high in vitamins B6 and B12, as well as iron, potassium and fluoride. Unlike other seaweeds, it is relatively low in sodium. It also contains a large shopping list of other vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins C, E, and A,, magnesium, calcium, and dietary fiber. Additionally, dulse is a natural source of iodine, essential for thyroid gland health and thyroid hormone secretion.

Suggested uses: Sprinkle flakes in soups, stocks, stews, miso, stirfrys or savoury dishes. Alternatively, use to ‘salt’ pasta while boiling.

Wakame Flakes

Sea-farmers have grown wakame for hundreds of years in Japan and Korea, (we source ours from the U.S.), and is a seaweed that looks and tastes like a slippery spinach. Starting in the 1960s, the word “wakame” started to be used widely in the United States, and became widely available at natural food stores and Asian-American grocery stores, due to the influence of the macrobiotic movement, and in the 1970s with the growing number of Japanese restaurants and sushi bars. Wakame can be used in the same ways as many other seaweeds including in soup and as an addition to green or fruit salads. When dried wakame is soaked in water it expands to at least 10 times its dried size.

A simple Wakame Salad recipe.

Nori Flakes

Nori is perhaps best known here in the U.S. as a wrap for sushi, but it has a long history of use in traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Like most seaweeds, Nori is very high in mineral content which accounts for up to 40% of its dry mass. The most important of these nutrients is iodine, a very small portion of Nori provides well over the adult recommended daily intake of iodine, which is vital for proper thyroid functioning. In TCM, Nori is used to promote healthy circulation and to combat thyroid problems. Nori is also rich in carotenes, vitamin C and vitamin B12, which is seldom found in land plants. At 28% protein, Nori has more protein than sunflower seeds and wheat germ, both promoted as good sources of protein for those who eat no animal products. Its nutty, sweet-salty flavor makes it a popular addition to soups and salads.

WIll each of the seaweeds, they contain large amounts of Iron. Don’t use on a daily basis for more than 2 weeks at a time, taking a 2 week break before using again. This will prevent you from overdosing iodine with potential imbalance in thyroid function.