Until recently, seaweed for most Americans was nothing but a nuisance,
clinging to us as we swim in the ocean and stinking up the beach as it
rots in the sun. With the ever-growing popularity of sushi restaurants
across the country, however, seaweed is becoming a substantial part of
our total food intake. And even as we dine with delight on maki, miso
soup, and seaweed salads, very few of us have any idea of the
nutritional value of seaweed. Here celebrated scientist Ole G.
Mouritsen, drawing on his fascination with and enthusiasm for Japanese
cuisine, champions seaweed as a staple food while simultaneously
explaining its biology, ecology, cultural history, and gastronomy.
Mouritsen takes readers on a comprehensive tour of seaweed, describing
what seaweeds actually are (algae, not plants) and how people of
different cultures have utilized them since prehistoric times for a
whole array of purposes--as food and fodder, for the production of salt,
in medicine and cosmetics, as fertilizer, in construction, and for a
number of industrial end uses, to name just a few. He reveals the vast
abundance of minerals, trace elements, proteins, vitamins, dietary
fiber, and precious polyunsaturated fatty acids found in seaweeds, and
provides instructions and recipes on how to prepare a variety of dishes
that incorporate raw and processed seaweeds. Approaching the subject
from not only a gastronomic but also a scientific point of view,
Mouritsen sets out to examine the past and present uses of this
sustainable resource, keeping in mind how it could be exploited for the
future. Because seaweeds can be cultivated in large quantities in the
ocean in highly sustainable ways, they are ideal for battling hunger and
obesity alike. With hundreds of delectable illustrations depicting the
wealth of species, colors, and shapes of seaweed, Seaweeds: Edible,
Available, and Sustainable makes a strong case for granting these
"vegetables from the sea" a prominent place in our kitchens.
