4 Reasons Seaweed Is a Weight-Loss Superfood

If you only chow down on seaweed at your favorite sushi restaurant, it's time to welcome this nutrient-dense sea vegetable to your regular diet. Beyond keeping your favorite fish wrapped up tight, this low-calorie superfood has so many health and weight-loss benefits to offer.

It may absorb fat: Scientists at the University of Newcastle found that alginate, a substance found in kelp, may stop the gut from absorbing fat by a whopping 75 percent.

It supports healthy digestion: In addition to its ability to slow down fat absorption in the gut, seaweed is high in dietary fiber, which can strengthen the gut and slow down digestion, keeping you feeling more full and satisfied for longer after you eat.

It helps a hangover: Kelp, spirulina, and wakame seaweed are all high in magnesium, a nutrient that is depleted in the body after a big night of boozing. Snacking on some nori or ordering up a seaweed salad can help your body recover sooner.

It keeps your hormones balanced: Seaweed is very high in the mineral iodine, which is essential for supporting healthy thyroid function. Your thyroid is responsible for creating a hormone that regulates mood, weight, energy, and metabolic levels, so it's no surprise why you want to keep yours happy and functioning at its top potential. The daily recommended amount of iodine for adult women is 0.15 milligrams, and you don't need to eat your weight in kelp or seaweed chips in order to hit that magic number. It's found in about two sheets of nori or one 42-calorie serving of our sesame-garlic seaweed chips.