Is Nori Seaweed the Same as Purple Laver? A Detailed Analysis of the Differences Between Nori and Purple Laver
Many people are confused about the difference between purple laver and nori. These two foods look similar and taste very similar, so what exactly is the difference between them? Are purple laver and nori the same? Are purple laver and nori two different foods or the same food? Today, let us take a look together at whether nori is purple laver!
What is purple laver?
Purple laver is the algal body of various wild purple laver species in the red algae family Bangiaceae, such as Pyropia haitanensis, Pyropia yezoensis, Porphyra purpurea, and Porphyra tenera. Artificial cultivation has already been carried out in China's coastal areas. It consists of 3 parts: a discoid holdfast, a stipe, and a blade. It contains pigments such as chlorophyll, carotene, lutein, phycoerythrin, and phycocyanin. Differences in the proportions of these pigments cause different species of purple laver to appear purplish red, blue-green, brownish red, brownish green, and other colors, but it gets its name because purple is the most common. Because purple laver can carry out photosynthesis, it is often mistaken for a plant, but biologists generally believe it is not a true plant because it lacks true vascular tissue, unlike aquatic plants.
What is nori?
After purple laver is roasted, its texture becomes crisp and tender, melting in the mouth. In particular, after seasoning treatment, with added oil, salt, and other seasonings, it transforms into the especially delicious “nori.” Nori concentrates the various B vitamins in purple laver, especially riboflavin and niacin, which are very abundant, and it also contains quite a lot of vitamin A and vitamin E, as well as a small amount of vitamin C. As a snack, nori is usually divided in production processes into three types: salt-roasted, sauce-roasted, and fried nori. All three processes are deep processing carried out using nori as the raw material.
Is nori purple laver?
Nori is all purple laver, but not all purple laver is nori. The purple laver commonly eaten mainly includes two varieties, Pyropia haitanensis and Pyropia yezoensis. In the north, Pyropia yezoensis is dominant, while in the south, Pyropia haitanensis is dominant. Nori is made by processing Pyropia yezoensis. The reason its price is high is mainly that nori has been processed and sorted, requiring rinsing, crushing, high-temperature steaming and pressing, dehydration, and baking, which naturally increases the cost. Therefore, purple laver and nori are the same food, but nori's appearance and taste are both better than those of purple laver.
Nutritional value of purple laver
1. Preventing goiter: Purple laver can be used to treat “goiter” caused by iodine deficiency. It has the function of softening hardness and dissipating nodules, and it is also useful for other stagnant accumulations and masses.
2. Promoting growth and development: Purple laver is rich in choline, calcium, and iron, can enhance memory, treat anemia in women and children, and promote the growth and health of bones and teeth. It contains a certain amount of mannitol and can be used as an auxiliary food for treating edema.
3. Preventing tumors: The active components of purple laver have an inhibition rate of 53.2% against Ehrlich carcinoma, and are helpful for the prevention and treatment of tumors such as brain tumors, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and malignant lymphoma.
4. Improving immune function: The polysaccharides contained in purple laver can significantly enhance cellular immunity and humoral immune function, promote lymphocyte transformation, and improve the body's immunity.