Does Sea Kelp Work?

Sea kelp is a table vegetable, an industrial product, a popular nutritional supplement and may also be an anti-cancer agent. Sea kelp, or laminiaria, is a traditional sea vegetable eaten in Asian countries and commercially farmed in Japan, Korea, China and Russia. It is an excellent source of nutrients, including iodine, a mineral vital to thyroid gland functioning. Industrial uses of sea kelp include thickening paint, dye and processed food.

Industrial Uses

Sodium alginate is a polysaccharide naturally present in sea kelp's cell walls. Fabric and paint manufacturers use it to emulsify and fix paints and dyes. Foods such as ice cream, bakery creams, pie fillings, salad dressings and cheese sauces employ sodium alginate as a thickener and stabilizer. Sodium alginate can be found in flame-retardant and waterproof fabrics. When dried and reconstituted, it can swell to over 200 times its weight, making it a valuable component in appetite suppressants and dehydrated food products.

Proteins, Vitamins and Fiber

A 100 g serving of sea kelp, or 3.5 oz., works to provide 43 calories, 2 g of protein and 10 g of carbohydrates. It also contains vitamins C, A, B complex, K and carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Approximately five to 10 percent of dry kelp is protein. Kelp is a rich source of fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar, according to Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D, director of the Institute of Traditional Medicine.

Minerals

Sea kelp absorbs minerals from the ocean and is a good source of calcium, iron, copper, selenium, manganese, magnesium, zinc and potassium. Iodine is a critical mineral that is needed to produce thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency can cause health problems such as an enlarged thyroid, or goiter. Pregnant women with low iodine levels may give birth to children with brain damage, according to the American Thyroid Association. In countries like China and India, however, iodine deficiency is a public health concern affecting millions. Before using sea kelp to correct an iodine deficiency, please speak with a qualified health professional.

Cancer

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners use sea kelp, or konbu, to treat cancer. Scientific research appears to support sea kelp's cancer-fighting benefits. Sea kelp and other brown seaweeds contain fucoidan, a complex sugar molecule that exhibits anti-tumor actions in the laboratory. In a study published in a 2010 issue of "BioMed Central Gastroenterology," fucoidan successfully initiated the process of human colon cancer cell death. In the July 2008 edition of "Molecular Medicine Reports," medical researchers tested an extract of fucoidan on five kinds of human cancer tumor cells. Fucoidan inhibited growth in the colon cancer cells.