Also known as seaweed, sea vegetables resemble plants but are actually varieties of algae that grow in the ocean as well as fresh water. The most popular are Arame, kelp, nori, dulse, wakame, kombu and hijiki.Sea vegetables are usually found in health food stores, although some mainstream grocery stores carry them as well.
All of the 56 elements essential for human health are present in sea vegetables, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, iron, and zinc, together with important trace elements such as selenium that are often lacking in land vegetables due to soil demineralisation.
What is more, the minerals in sea vegetables exist in a chelated, colloidal form that makes them readily 'bioavailable' for use in crucial bodily functions. Population studies show that people with a regular intake of sea vegetables show few symptoms of mineral depletion and the longevity of the people of Okinawa is believed to be due to their regular consumption of sea vegetables