The soup that Japanese people often use to live long helps lower blood sugar and 'eliminate' blood fat.

This soup is easy to prepare and has many health benefits such as preventing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and supporting intestinal health.

Why does seaweed help provide iron and lower blood sugar?

According to longevity experts, seaweed is one of the foods that contribute to prolonging the life of Japanese people, preventing many diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. In the diet of Okinawa (Japan), the Blue Zone where people live the longest in the world, seaweed is indispensable.

According to Oriental medicine, seaweed tastes bitter and salty, and is cold in nature. This food is rich in nutrients, providing protein, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12... for the body. 100g of seaweed contains up to 21.4mg of iron, higher than beef (2.6mg of iron/100g) and pork liver (17.9mg/100g). However, the iron in seaweed is more difficult to absorb than iron from animal meat.

Therefore, to effectively supplement iron from seaweed, you should combine it with foods rich in vitamin C, beans and quinoa seeds rich in the amino acid lysine, and avoid drinking tea and coffee during meals to help increase iron absorption. Vitamin B12 in seaweed is also necessary for the formation of blood-forming cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets), preventing anemia.

In addition, studies have shown that polyphenol plant compounds in seaweed can help lower blood sugar while alginate compounds reduce the absorption of sugar into the blood after meals. In addition, the antioxidant fucoxanthin found in some types of seaweed also plays a role in controlling blood sugar levels. This has been demonstrated in an 8-week Japanese study.

Notes when preparing seaweed

Do not soak for more than 15 minutes and turn off the stove after boiling for 5 minutes to avoid the seaweed becoming soft, some of the nutrients dissolving in water. To remove the fishy smell of seaweed, you can use a few slices of fresh ginger.

Seaweed can be prepared in many different ways, of which the most popular and easiest to make is seaweed soup. Seaweed can be combined with eggs, shrimp, tofu, miso, beef, seafood, etc. to increase protein, providing enough balanced nutrients in the meal.

7. ways to cook delicious seaweed soup without fishy smell

1. Beef seaweed soup

Beef seaweed soup is made with extremely simple steps from 2 main ingredients: beef and seaweed. The hot soup has a light aroma, the broth has a natural sweet taste from the beef and seaweed that are just cooked, soft and delicious without being boring.

2. Seaweed soup with shrimp

A combination of moderately cooked seaweed with a mild, soft flavor combined with dried shrimp and fresh shrimp that are a bit chewy, creating a strange but surprisingly attractive flavor! You can add soft tofu and sweet mushrooms, etc. Try making and enjoying it with hot rice to feel the delicious taste that the soup brings.

3. Chicken seaweed soup

Seaweed soup can also be cooked with chicken, creating a soup with a refreshing taste, rich sweetness from the soft stewed chicken, seaweed cooked to taste, not too soft or too hard.

4. Seaweed egg soup

Seaweed soup is cooked from chicken broth with a rich sweet taste, when processed, eggs and soft tofu are added, served with cool, soft and crunchy seaweed, both strange and delicious.

5. Seafood seaweed soup

Seafood seaweed soup with simple preparation, the dish gives the refreshing taste of seaweed, soft and delicious. Depending on your preference, you can cook seaweed soup with your favorite seafood such as clams, mussels, etc. Seafood has a natural sweet taste, eaten with seaweed, it is extremely delicious.

6. Pork seaweed soup

The minced pork when cooked has a sweet taste mixed with the gentle aroma of fried shallots. You can also cook it with pork ribs that are simmered over low heat, making the meat soft and delicious. The seaweed is put into the boiling broth, blanched evenly to enjoy the moderate softness and deliciousness, extremely wonderful.

7. Vegetarian seaweed soup

Seaweed soup can also be combined with many other ingredients to create wonderful flavors. You can cook it with soft tofu, add a broth with the natural sweetness of stewed radish. Or cook it with lotus seeds, which are rich but not bitter, all of which create an attractive, delicious flavor that is hard to resist!