OCEAN’S BOUNTY

HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS ARE COSTLY, EDIBLE SEAWEED BUT POWER-PACKED CAN BE FREELY FORAGED

- LUCY ROBINSON

Yes, it's that slimy green stuff that makes you shudder when you swim across it in the sea. But we Brits are becoming aware that seaweeds or sea veggies - are a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

In the last year alone, Sainsbury's has seen an 89% increase in online searches for seaweed products, including "Welsh caviar" and "bacon of the sea". And if you learn how to forage for it safely, it's free.

Mara Seaweed founder Fiona Houston says, "Seaweed used to be an important part of our native diet. It's a truly natural nutritionally dense superfood, containing a unique combination of all 56 vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and trace elements essential for health."

Below are five benefits ascribed to seaweed...

1 SKIN GLOW

It's great for hydrating skin and tackling problem areas such as acne and dry patches.

It has a royal seal of approval too. Following the birth of Prince George in 2013, the Duchess of Cambridge reportedly enjoyed pampering facials containing seaweed while at her parents' Berkshire home.

2 ASTHMA REDUCTION 

Korean studies have shown that lower intakes of seaweed and seafood were linked with higher rates of inflammatory disease asthma. The theory is that the polyunsaturated fats and vitamins in seaweed are protective.

More research is needed, but seaweed consumed during pregnancy and in early childhood may be beneficial.