What Plant Is Kelp? A Detailed Explanation of Kelp's Plant Category

In the scorching summer, it is exactly the right time to eat cold mixed dishes, and cold dressed kelp is a common one. So do you know what plant kelp, which can be cold dressed and stewed in soup, actually is? What effects and functions does it have?

What plant is kelp?

Kelp is a large marine brown algae plant, and is one of the seaweed plants. It can grow under both natural and artificial cultivation conditions, and is a cold-water large economically important marine product.

What effects and functions does kelp have?

1. Lowering lipids and blood pressure

Kelp contains abundant taurine, and the taurocholic acid formed by its combination with bile can increase the solubility of fat and cholesterol and lower cholesterol in the blood and bile; at the same time, taurine can inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce blood lipids and cholesterol content in the blood, thereby playing a role in lowering blood lipids and blood pressure.

2. Diuresis and reducing swelling

A layer of white powder like frost —— mannitol —— adheres to the surface of kelp, and it is a very good medicinal substance. In medicine it is commonly used as a diuretic, and is also used to lower intracranial pressure and intraocular pressure.

3. Treating hypothyroidism

Because kelp contains a large amount of iodine, and iodine is the main substance for thyroid synthesis, if the human body lacks iodine, it will suffer from “goiter”, namely hypothyroidism, so kelp is the best food for people with hypothyroidism.

4. Preventing cancer

Seaweed foods such as kelp, seaweed, and nori have anti-cancer and cancer-preventing effects. In addition, long-term consumption of kelp has a certain effect in preventing diseases such as breast cancer.

5. Lowering blood sugar

Fucoidan and brown algae oligosaccharides in kelp are high-quality dietary fiber, and they can promote gastrointestinal motility and reduce the absorption of harmful substances and cholesterol. Fucoidan can also promote insulin secretion at the same time, so after diabetic patients eat it, they not only do not need to worry about blood sugar rising, but can also alleviate the condition of diabetes.

Eating kelp appropriately is beneficial to health, but it absolutely must not be eaten as a staple food, and the amount eaten each time should not be too much either. In addition, patients with deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach, or with hyperthyroidism of the iodine-excess type, should eat it with caution.