Sea Kelp Health Benefits

Sea kelp is often referred to as a seaweed, but technically it’s a brown algae that grows in salt water. There are actually around 30 species of sea kelp found in the ocean. Sea kelp is a very sustainable ingredient as it grows at an extraordinary rate. Not only is sea kelp sustainable, it’s also considered a superfood as it is loaded full of a plethora of nutrients proven to promote health and wellbeing.

Here are a few of the most prominent health benefits associated with sea kelp.

May Promote Weight Loss

One of the most exciting potential benefits of sea kelp, is its potential to help promote weight loss. In one study, sea kelp powder was found to promote weight loss and reduce body fat percentages in a number of overweight male subjects over the course of 8 weeks. But how? Sea kelp is naturally rich in alginate, a form of soluble fibre which prevents fat absorption in the gut. In fact, alginate has been shown to reduce body fat absorption by as much as 75%. On top of that, as the fibre takes longer to digest and break down, it can help to increase satiety levels and reduce appetite and hunger. Therefore, when combined with a healthy lifestyle, sea kelp may help to promote weight loss and serve as a natural weight loss supplement.

May Improve Thyroid Function

Sea kelp is naturally rich in iodine. As a result, it is widely believed to help noticeably improve the health and function of the thyroid gland and the production of thyroid hormones. Studies have found that an iodine deficiency can cause reduced thyroid function, resulting in suppressed metabolism. This can lead to weight gain, fatigue, hair loss or thinning, elevated cholesterol levels, poor immune function, muscle weakness, irregular menstrual cycles, and more.

Naturally Rich in Nutrients

One of the main reasons why sea kelp is considered to be a superfood is due to the fact that it is naturally rich in nutrients. Sea kelp is packed full of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants that promote all manner of health benefits. Sea kelp contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, C, D, E, and K. It’s also a great source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron. Because sea kelp is so nutritious, it promotes numerous aspects of everyday health and wellbeing from, immunity and red blood cell production, to blood clotting, bone health, and energy production, sea kelp can improve your everyday health in a variety of different ways. Supplements like sea kelp capsules can help ensure you get your daily amount.   

Hair Health

Finally, many supplements designed to improve hair health are enriched with sea kelp. This is due to sea kelp’s naturally high levels of iodine. Iodine can improve thyroid function, as we looked at earlier. An under active thyroid can cause hair loss and thinning of the hair. As sea kelp is so rich in vitamins and minerals, it can also improve hair health as nutritional deficiencies have been linked with hair loss, as well as slower rates of hair growth, split ends, and dull and lifeless looking hair.