3 things you should know about kelp, nutrients, and astronaut food

Move over kale, kelp is in the house!

Kelp is one of many types of edible seaweed. Though it is common in Asian cuisine, it's new to many Canadians, and far from a staple food for most. But its potential as a "superfood" and an environmental saviour just might make it the next big thing.
 
Although it resembles a plant, kelp is actually brown algae, which is neither a plant, an animal or a fungi. We find wild kelp forests worldwide, in shallow, cool, and nutrient-rich coastal waters. Now, seaweed farms are starting to pop up in coastal waters of Canada and around the world, in part due to our growing understanding of how to propagate and grow kelp, and our desire to preserve kelp forests. For fishing communities, kelp offers an opportunity to complement other seasonal activities such as lobstering, or to transition away from fishing completely. It grows fast, it’s a high-value crop, and it’s multi-functional.
 
As a "sea vegetable," kelp packs a nutritional punch. It's a great source of potassium and of iodine, an element essential for keeping our thyroids healthy. It is packed with vitamins and minerals, gut-healthy fiber, and is very low in calories. We might not be aware of it, but we already eat kelp. For example, we commonly use sodium alginate — a kelp extract — as a thickener in foods such as salad dressing and ice cream. Researchers are also investigating using kelp as nutritional additives or replacements in our prepared foods, such as bread. There is also evidence that by adding it to food for dairy cows, farmers may be able to help their cows produce less methane!
 
Even if it doesn't catch on as food, kelp offers major environmental perks. Farmed kelp grows on ropes in the water and can recreate habitats for marine wildlife. Grown off the coast, it also has the power to clean our water by soaking up nutrients from agricultural run-off, which eventually gets into the ocean. And due to its rapid and large growth, it has that coveted carbon-sucking capacity, making it a tool in our arsenal against ocean acidification and climate change. What's more, it can be used as fertilizer on farms, thus closing the nutrient loop and helping provide nutrients and organic matter to our soils.
 
Will kelp follow in the footsteps of kale, from underdog to king? First, Canadians must open up to the idea of a taste of the ocean in their plates. Obstacles to adopting new foods come from not knowing how to use the ingredient, or our palates not being accustomed to the new textures and flavours. But looking at the trajectory of the seaweed farming and processing industry, the science and technology research supporting this new venture, and the many opportunities at bay, we can only expect this industry to keep flourishing — if not for human food, then as an environmental boon!

By Renée-Claude Goulet

Nutrient know-how: The ingredients for good health

Many of us struggle to decipher the advertising on food labels. Phrases like “packed with essential nutrients” or “excellent source of vitamins!” seem good, but what do they actually mean?

It comes down to the molecules that form your food. Your food contains molecules called nutrients, which your body needs to survive, grow, and reproduce. They are the ingredients our bodies use to create new cells, to generate energy, to fight disease, and much more! 

Nutrients are generally divided into six categories: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. The first three (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) are your macronutrients, or ‘macros.’ These molecules are needed in large amounts by your body because they are broken down to provide energy. They also provide the building blocks your body needs to grow, repair itself, and create new molecules. 

• Carbohydrates are molecules made of sugars. They are your body’s primary fuel source, and act as building blocks for larger molecules. Carbohydrates are found vegetables, fruits, and grains. 
• When your body digests the proteins found in meats, nuts, and beans, the protein molecules are broken into smaller pieces called amino acids that your body uses to create new proteins. These include proteins like antibodies, certain hormones, and the proteins that hold your cells together. 
• The fats found in dairy products, nuts, seeds, oils, and meats may have a bad reputation, but they are very important. Not only do they provide energy, they also surround organs, regulate temperature, and form the membrane of every cell in your body.

Vitamins and minerals are critical to survival, but are considered micronutrients since they are needed in smaller amounts. Unlike the macronutrients, they do not provide energy directly. Instead, they act more like tools, enabling many of the processes in your body to occur. 

• Vitamins (including vitamin A, D, K, and C) are essential organic molecules for many reactions in your body, such as making new cells, breaking down food, and maintaining a healthy immune system. 
• Minerals (such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron) are solid inorganic substances. They are used in a huge variety of ways, including building your body (e.g., bones and teeth), regulating some of your bodily processes (e.g., muscle contraction), and being a part of chemical reactions (e.g., digestion). 

Finally, there’s water. Some nutritionists classify it as a macronutrient because we need a lot of it, but since water doesn’t directly provide energy, others leave it out. Either way, water must be consumed in large quantities. Our bodies are more than 60 per cent water and without it, nothing could be transported in our bodies, reactions wouldn’t happen, and our cells would die. 

The word ‘nutritious’ means ‘something that nourishes.’ That means that by eating and drinking from the six nutrient categories, your body will be well on the way to optimal functioning and health. 

By Michelle Campbell Mekarski