What foods should kelp, a marine algae plant, not be eaten with, how long does it take to cook until tender, and what benefits does it have?
The hot summer always makes people lose their appetite. At this time, eating a plate of sour and spicy refreshing cold kelp salad instantly opens up your taste buds. Kelp is rich in nutritional value, and eating kelp regularly is good for the body. So what should kelp not be eaten with? How long does it take to cook until tender?
1. Introduction to Kelp
Kelp originated in Northeast Asia, including the Pacific coast of Russia, Japan and the northern coast of Korea, and later grew in the seas off China's Liaodong Peninsula and Shandong coast. Today China is the world's largest kelp producer. Kelp mostly grows on rocks below the intertidal zone. The mature algae body is curled, and the surface has white spots like frost. It can only survive when the water temperature is below 15°C. After being dried in the sun, kelp can be used as food. China, Japan and Korea often use kelp as a dish.
2. What should kelp not be eaten with?
Kelp contains carotene, B vitamins, calcium, iron and other nutrients the human body needs. Eating kelp regularly is good for the body, but all foods have incompatible combinations. Kelp is not suitable to be eaten with the following foods, otherwise it will cause opposite effects.
| Incompatible food | Effect |
| Tea | Affects the body's absorption of iron |
| Persimmon | Gastrointestinal discomfort |
| Pig blood | Not conducive to digestion and absorption, causes constipation |
| Licorice | Produces toxic substances |
| Baijiu | Indigestion |
| Sour and astringent fruits | Gastrointestinal discomfort, hinders the body's absorption of iron |
| Acidic foods | Affects the absorption of kelp's nutrients |
Since there are foods that kelp is not suitable to be eaten with, there are also suitable pairings.
| Suitable pairing | Benefit |
| Shrimp | Supplements calcium, helps growth and development |
| Pork ribs | Relieves skin itching and osteoporosis |
| Wood ear mushroom | Softens blood vessels, prevents cardiovascular disease and lowers blood lipids |
| Mung bean | ⟧Treats high blood lipids |
| Cassia seed | Treats high blood pressure |
| White sugar | Treats chronic pharyngitis |
3. How long does kelp take to cook until tender?
1. Boiling
Kelp is rich in nutrients, and it should not be cooked for too long; cooking it too long will cause chemical reactions and waste nutrients. Generally, boiling it in clear water for about 10-15 minutes is enough. While cooking, you can pinch it with your hand to test whether it is soft or firm. Once it becomes soft, you can take it out immediately.
2. Dry steaming
Open the dried kelp and place it in a steamer to dry-steam over water for about 30 minutes, then soak it in clear water overnight. After this treatment, the kelp is not only crisp and tender; using it for stewing, stir-frying or cold dressing is also relatively soft and tasty.
4. How to cook kelp so it becomes tender easily?
Method 1: Add a little vinegar when cooking kelp
Method 2: Add a small amount of alkaline noodles when cooking kelp
Method 3: Soak the kelp in rice washing water before cooking
Method 4: For kelp used in soup, blanch it in boiling water first before making the soup
5. What benefits does eating kelp have?
1. Benefit 1: Prevents iodine-deficiency goiter
Kelp contains a large amount of iodine and can effectively prevent and treat iodine-deficiency goiter.
2. Benefit 2: Lowers blood pressure, blood lipids and blood sugar
The amino acids, potassium salts and calcium in kelp can reduce the body's absorption of cholesterol and lower blood pressure; secondly, kelp also contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids and dietary fiber, which can effectively remove cholesterol attached to blood vessel walls, smooth the stomach and intestines, and promote the excretion of cholesterol; kelp contains fucoidan, and after diabetic patients eat it, it can delay gastric emptying and the time food passes through the small intestine, so even when insulin secretion is reduced, blood sugar levels will not rise, thereby achieving the purpose of treating diabetes.
3. Benefit 3: Radiation protection
Kelp polysaccharide, an extract of kelp, has an anti-radiation effect by inhibiting immune cell apoptosis.
4. Benefit 4: Calcium supplementation
Kelp is rich in calcium and can prevent and treat calcium deficiency in the human body.
5. Benefit 5: Weight loss
Kelp contains a large amount of dietary fiber, which can increase the feeling of fullness in obese people, and kelp is easier to digest and absorb, has a very low fat content and few calories, and is a food for obese people to lose weight.
In addition to the above five benefits, kelp also has the effects of promoting urination and reducing swelling, protecting hair, beautifying and nourishing the skin, improving immunity, delaying aging, and eliminating breast hyperplasia, so everyone can eat some kelp in moderation at ordinary times.
6. Contraindications for eating kelp
1. Contraindication 1: Patients with hyperthyroidism should remember not to eat kelp. Kelp is relatively rich in iodine, and once eaten it will worsen the condition.
2. Contraindication 2: Pregnant women and nursing mothers should eat less kelp. The iodine in kelp will enter the fetus and infant through the blood and may cause thyroid disease.
3. Contraindication 3: Do not soak kelp for a long time. Soaking for too long will cause the loss of nutrients in kelp, and soaking for too long will make kelp lack toughness and affect the taste.
4. Contraindication 4: Eat it in moderation. Kelp is also rich in arsenic, and excessive intake can cause poisoning.
This article introduces in detail the relevant issues about eating kelp, so everyone should usually pay attention to which foods kelp cannot be eaten with. At the same time, do not eat it in excess; eating a little occasionally is also beneficial.