Whether you’re following the alkaline diet or just want to improve your immunity to illness and diseases, sea moss offers a variety of health benefits, and is consumable in a variety of forms.
WHAT IS SEA MOSS?
Sea moss, also known as Irish moss (or Chondus Crispus if you want to sound fancy), is a type of red algae found on the Caribbean islands and on European coastal nations such as Ireland (hence the nickname “irish moss.” According to Irish folklore, sea moss has long been used to treat serious medical conditions like pneumonia and tuberculosis, due to its rich anti-viral properties. Today, this salty sea vegetation has made somewhat of a resurgence among health-conscious communities, as recent studies have shown that the legendary viral properties of sea moss remain useful today.
Modern applications of sea moss include everything from cooking, to skin care, to dietary supplements in the form of pills. This is because sea moss doesn’t have much of a taste, and can be easily soaked, mashed, or dried into other usable forms, such as gels, pastes, or topping for food. But before we talk about the many ways you can use sea moss, you should first understand...
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SEA MOSS
Sea moss contains many vital nutrients that can improve digestion, increase metabolism, boost immunity and so much more. Some of those nutrients include bromine, sulfur, calcium, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, phosphate, manganese, potassium, beta-carotene, selenium, protein, pectin, zinc, vitamin-C and B-vitamins. Here are some of the ways your body benefits from nutrient-rich sea moss...
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Helps thyroid function: Your thyroid, a gland in your neck below the adam’s apple, is responsible for increasing the rate and strength of your heartbeat to maintain healthy blood flow throughout your brain. Healthy blood flow through the brain directly affects your ability to think and sleep, which is why it’s so important for your thyroid to function properly. A common mineral that helps your thyroid to function properly is iodine, which is abundant in sea moss. By consuming sea moss regularly, you are directly feeding your thyroid iodine to maintain proper functionality.
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Increases metabolism: As a result of proper blood flow due to sea moss consumption, your metabolism will also increase. Your metabolism is determined by three primary functions: Your body’s ability to (1) convert food into energy, (2) convert food into building and recovery elements for cells, and (3) discard waste once the previous conversion processes have been completed. Sea moss, then, increases your metabolism by maintaining proper thyroid functionality.
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Aids in digestion: Due to its gel-like consistency, sea moss can soothe pain from inflammation in the mucus membranes of your intestine. Simultaneously, the sea moss extracts toxins. The result of pain relief and detoxification makes sea moss an effective medicine for digestive issues such as indigestion, gastritis, ulcers, and constipation.
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Suppresses appetite: For those seeking to lose weight but have trouble eating too much, sea moss is a great appetite suppressant. That’s because sea moss is dense with minerals and nutrients which fill you up quickly. So, adding sea moss to your meals will make them more filling and nutritious!
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Relieves muscle soreness: Speaking of those minerals and nutrients, with which sea moss is dense, they can also help you to recover from intense exercise. Since your body uses the nutrients you consume for energy during exercise, nutrient-dense sea moss can replace the nutrients you lose, allowing you to exercise longer.
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Boosts immune system:Put simply, sea moss contains nutrients that help your body fight off illness. Those nutrients have antiviral, antibacterial, anticoagulant, and antimicrobial properties.
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Nourishes skin: The various minerals in sea moss also make it a great skincare option. You can apply it directly to your skin in a gel form, which can relieve pain from sunburns and soften your skin like a lotion. Or if you’d prefer a more relaxing option, try adding sea moss to your bath tub for a soothing soak before bed.
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Leads to better sex:Among the well-studied benefits of sea moss, this one is the most fun. Because sea moss is high in zinc and other minerals that support reproductive functions, it seems to be quite effective at increasing one’s sex drive. Its anti-inflammatory properties in particular promote efficient blood circulation throughout the entire body, and yes… That means below the belt too.
Now that you’re an expert on the health benefits of sea moss, you can finally start using it to cook with and to nourish your skin.
SOME IDEAS FOR HOW TO USE SEA MOSS
From cooking to skincare to supplements, sea moss can be used in many forms, but its most common form is an ingredient for cooking. Before I provide specific examples of how you can use sea moss as an ingredient for cooking, you must know how to prepare it, which depends on if you’re using dried or fresh sea moss.
If the moss is dried, you can soak it in water for a few hours, then rinse away any sand, and if the moss is fresh, just wash it thoroughly and get cooking. After rinsing your sea moss, you can simmer it in clean water until it’s tender, then mash it into a paste. That paste will be a nutritious ingredient for foods such as…
- Smoothies
- Soups
- Stews
- Salad dressing
- Homemade nut/seed milk
- Nut cheese
- Raw desserts
- Chocolate
Sea moss can also be used in non-dairy elixirs, which are sweet drinks with medicinal qualities.
Sea moss can greatly enhance the nutritional value of your meals, making it an excellent ingredient to use on a daily basis. How much sea moss you consume on a daily basis is up to you.
The benefits of sea moss and the ways it can be used are endless! Enjoy.
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