By Angela Willard Cl. H
Angela Willard is a Clinical Herbalist and Co-Founder at Harmonic Arts. She’s passionate about growing herbs, herbal consulting, and sharing her love and knowledge of plants. Angela finds balance between nurturing Harmonic Arts' vision and raising a young family.
Follow Angela on Instagram @wild_angelica and @seaweed_gardens
In our household, Brown Seaweed Extract is a staple add-on to most of our smoothies, soups and baking. This is a simple way to include the profound health benefits of seaweed in our daily diets. I feel great knowing I’m giving nature’s best to my family.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your health care practitioner before adding any new herbs to your wellness routine.
What is Brown Seaweed Extract?
Brown Seaweed extract is a heat-extracted powder made from the kelp Laminaria japonica, otherwise commonly known as a Sugar Kelp. The main properties extracted from the kelp are two complex polysaccharides; Fucoidan and Laminarin, and a carotenoid known as Fucoxanthin- all unique only to seaweeds. The heat extraction process increases the bioavailability of these properties.
How Do I Take Brown Seaweed Extract?
The powder has a subtle flavour and is easy to incorporate into recipes. Since it’s an extract, only a small amount is required (¼-½ tsp daily for adults) to benefit from its therapeutic properties.
The Benefits of Brown Seaweed Extract
Let’s dive into each beneficial property to understand why it’s important to add to your diet:
Fucoidan
Fucoidan has a multitude of beneficial effects on the human body. The extensive list of benefits confirmed by research includes:
- Anti-tumor ¹
- Anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic ² ³
- Immuno-regulatory, anti-allergic ⁴
- Anti-viral ⁵
- Anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective ⁶
Laminarin
This digestive health polysaccharide feeds cells of the intestinal lining, helping to prevent leaky gut. Its prebiotic nourishment protects the colon and contributes to the butyrate (an anti-inflammatory fatty acid) composition in the body, all positively influencing colon health. ⁷ ⁸ ⁹
Fucoxanthin
This carotenoid pigment has been shown to activate the burning of white fat cells, helping the body burn excess fat. Excessive white fat can contribute to estrogen dominance, blood sugar imbalance, inflammation, and increased stress response. ¹⁰ ¹¹
Based on this promising research, I’m confident in supplementing my family’s daily diet with Brown Seaweed Extract.
