SEA MOSS HEALTH BENEFITS
What Is Sea Moss?
Sea moss, scientifically known as Chondrus crispus, is a type of algae or seaweed. It grows in waters along the rocky Atlantic coasts, primarily between North America and Europe. It’s an edible sea plant similar to other seaweeds, algae, and other familiar leafy sea vegetables like kelp or dulse. Sea moss grows in a number of colors, such as various shades of green, yellow, purple, red, brown, and black. The most common varieties that grow in the warmer waters are generally red and often called Irish moss.
Sea moss also has been scientifically proven to promote healthy weight loss, help you build lean muscle, rev up energy and metabolism as well as super-charge your immune system. One serving of sea moss provides most of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs in a day to be its healthiest.
Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson’s Disease is the second-most-common degenerative disease found in older adults.
Parkinson’s Disease affects movement, causing tremors, stiffness, and slowness of movement, and there is currently no cure. However, early research shows that sea moss may be able to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
In a study done with worms, extract from sea moss was shown to decrease the accumulation of α-synuclein and reduce stiffness and slowness of movement. This could mean promising things for people with Parkinson’s Disease. However, more research is needed to see if sea moss has the same effect on humans that it has on worms.
Immune System
Early studies suggest that sea moss can boost the immune system and may even protect the body from contracting salmonella.
One study showed that sea moss can stop the growth of S. Enteritidis, the bacteria that causes salmonella in humans. However, this is a very early study, and has not been reproduced in animals or humans. More research is needed to determine whether sea moss could help prevent or treat salmonella in humans.
Nutrients
Sea Moss contains 92 of the 102 minerals that nourish the human body. Some of these minerals include magnesium, potassium, iodine, sulfur, calcium, iron, selenium, and folate. Each mineral plays its own important role. They supply energy to the body, regulate digestion, and detoxify the body.
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Sea moss is full of iron, which many plant-based eaters lack because it's commonly found in animal foods like meat, poultry, and seafood. Sea moss contains about 9 milligrams of iron per 100 grams, which means sea moss has 9 times more iron than chicken. When you're feeling fatigued or low energy, it may be because your iron levels are low, since iron helps your body create red blood cells to move oxygen from your lungs to your cells. On top of taking a healthy iron supplement, try adding sea moss in a gel form to your smoothies and see if you begin to notice the difference in your energy. If you have ever been diagnosed with mild anemia, sea moss could work to help your body get the iron you need.
Blood Sugar
​One substance found in Irish moss that may be helpful is fucoxanthin. This is a carotenoid that gives Irish moss its rich red-brown color.
Studies have shown that fucoxanthin may have significant benefits for regulating blood sugar levels. It appears to help the body respond to insulin more effectively, meaning that your body can control its own blood sugar with less work. For people with diabetes, eating Irish moss may help prevent blood sugar spikes or crashes.
Reduced Risk of Cancer
Fucoxanthin and other carotenoids found in Irish moss act as antioxidants, which are known to help fight free radicals. Uncontrolled free radicals can damage cells, causing them to grow in dangerous ways — damaged cells can become cancerous. By eating seaweed like Irish moss, you may be able to reduce your risk of developing certain cancers.