The algae, true sea vegetables, are truly foods of choice. In fact, we eat them every day without even noticing because they are natural additives (from E 400 to E 407).

These additives are added in many preparations as gelling, thickening or structuring agents, elements that compensate for the too fluid structure of certain foods and advantageously replace the bovine gelatins used previously.

Among the 25,000 species of seaweed currently known, about fifteen seaweeds and a few freshwater seaweeds are commonly used throughout the world and for thousands of years in the culinary, dietetic, therapeutic and cosmetic fields. Green, brown, red or blue, microscopic or giant, marine or freshwater, given the nutritional wealth they contain, algae should absolutely have a place of choice in our daily lives.

In fact, their qualitative mineral richness is incomparable. Whether macro elements (iodine, silicon, potassium, chlorine, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese) or, in smaller quantities, trace elements (boron, bromine, chromium, fluorine, lithium, molybdenum, gold, selenium, strontium, thallium, vanadium, zinc), all of these substances are essential for the development and optimal biological functioning of the body. This richness is not to be neglected because these components and marine minerals are much better assimilated than in their organic form.

Seaweeds are also abundant in amino acids, including the eight essential ones (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine) that the body cannot synthesize and which it nevertheless absolutely needs to live. Numerous vitamins (A, beta carotene, B1, B2, B3 or PP, B6, B12, C, D3 , E and K) allow them to make up for deficiencies or contribute to maintaining ideal health. Seaweed also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3) which give them additional virtues that no longer need to be demonstrated. Like "land" vegetables, these marine plants are low in calories and high in fiber and protein. In today's society, where maintaining a healthy diet is increasingly difficult, we understand even more the benefits that seaweed can bring us.

Today, in our European countries, the consumption of seaweed is progressing, especially thanks to the discovery of sushi, which is made from sushinori.

However, a distinction must be made between the consumption of algae extracts and the absorption of algae in their entirety. It is important to be sure of the origin and quality of the seaweed we consume because it can concentrate pollutants and heavy metals. Remember that some seaweeds, such as brown seaweeds, which are very rich in alginic acid, can detoxify the body, as alginate is a scavenger of heavy metals and other toxins. This is how the irradiated population was treated during the Chernobyl disaster.

The type of seaweed you choose depends on the use you want to make of it. Most can be eaten in salads or cooked in water (or steamed). However, some are better suited for frying or making soups. Here is a small suggestion among the most known and most commonly used seaweeds: Sea lettuce is suitable for almost all types of preparations and its simplest use is to add a few leaves to a salad.

Sea beans, which are higher in fiber, are generally very popular. It is easily found in jars and even in supermarkets. It is simply cooked in the same way as classic beans.

Dulse is a red algae that is richer in vitamin A and beta carotene. It can be prepared as a salad or with fish or seafood.

Porphyra, which is used to make sushi is reportedly the most consumed in the world. Better known under the Japanese name of Nori, it can also be eaten as is and replace common vegetables.

You can find fresh seaweed in some markets, Asian grocery stores or nutrition or health food stores, but you can also get it dehydrated, pre-cooked, canned or in jars. There are also preparations containing seaweed such as pastes, soups and spreads.