Kelp can be used in soups and stews, stir-fried with vegetables, or cooked
with beans or grains.
Kelp plants can grow to a length of nearly 200 feet (about 61 meters), making this the
largest variety of sea vegetable. It is light
brown to dark green in color and is similar to kombu, although it is thinner and more tender.
It is found chiefly on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of North America.
Varieties
The predominantly available variety of kelp is the giant kelp
(Macrocystis pyrifera).
Buying and storing tips
Dehydrated kelp should be stored in an airtight container in a dark,
dry place. Cooked kelp should be kept under refrigeration.
Availability
Kelp is sold dehydrated, and in flake and powder forms for use as a
condiment.
Preparation, uses, and tips
Like kombu, kelp is used in soups and stews, stir-fried with
vegetables, or cooked with beans or grains. It cooks
quickly and dissolves in longer-cooking dishes. It contains a natural glutamic acid, a
tenderizer that helps beans cook quickly and makes them more digestible. It also contains
alginic acid, a substance used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in food production. Kelp
can be pre-soaked or added dry to foods with liquids. Kelp absorbs up to five times its weight
in liquid.
Nutritional Highlights
Kelp (raw, seaweed), 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp)
Calories: 4.3
Protein: 0.17g
Carbohydrate: 0.96g
Total Fat: 0.05g
Fiber: 0.13g
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights
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Foodnotes.
The information presented in Foodnotes is for informational
purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts.
Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using
any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed
medications. Information expires December 2003.
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