One simple product is often overlooked as a source of health benefits – but seaweed is highly nutritious.
It delivered fibre, omega-3 fats and key amino acids, as well as vitamins A, B, C, and E, which aren’t commonly found in land vegetables.
Another key advantage of seaweed is its natural iodine content. This mineral plays a vital role in the production of thyroid hormones, which are integral for bodily processes such as metabolism.
Meanwhile, low thyroid hormone levels can result in issues like low energy, constipation and weight gain.
While several countries, including the US and Canada, address iodine deficiency by adding the mineral to table salt, the UK does not follow this practice.
According to Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart, seaweed can help your skin cells regenerate, resulting in a revitalised appearance (stock photo)
Consequently, the World Health Organisation now categorises the UK as the seventh among the ten most iodine-deficient nations in the world.
FEMAIL spoke to nutritionist and chartered psychologist, Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart, who revealed her top five benefits of incorporating seaweed into your diet – including enhanced brain power and heightened libido.
1. Increase your libido
‘When people think of libido boosting, a plate of seaweed is probably far from anyone’s mind! However, studies have shown that seaweed can improve sexual function, increase energy and boost your sex drive,’ explained Dr Newman-Beinart.
‘Seaweed is packed with iodine and having adequate iodine levels could make all the difference when it comes to getting in the mood.
‘This is because iodine is crucial for the production of thyroid hormones. Iodine deficiency is a leading cause of low thyroid hormone levels, which often leads to problems such as low energy and low libido.’
2. Prevent dry, flaky skin
‘Thyroid hormones, which contain iodine, help your skin cells regenerate. When thyroid hormone levels are low, this regeneration doesn’t occur as often, possibly leading to dry, flaky skin.
‘When people have iodine deficiency, they often find that their skin is dry and flaky, and it is believed that this may be due to low thyroid hormone levels,’ said Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart.
Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart told FEMAIL a key advantage of seaweed is its natural iodine content (stock photo)
3. Promote healthy hair growth
According to Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart: ‘Thyroid hormones help control the growth of hair follicles, so when your thyroid hormone levels are low, your hair follicles may stop regenerating.
‘That’s why people with an iodine deficiency may also suffer from hair loss,’ added the expert.
4. Boost brain power
‘Did you know that being iodine deficient might affect your IQ? Scientists collated over 20 studies looking at the relationship between iodine status and IQ, and all of the studies found that iodine deficiency was associated with lower IQ’, said Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart.
‘Research has also found that people with lower thyroid hormone levels demonstrated poorer performance on memory tasks than those with higher levels.’
5. Support your child’s intelligence
‘Not many people know that iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable mental impairment in the world.
‘Scientists found that low iodine levels in pregnancy were related to a 60 per cent greater risk of their child having low verbal intelligence and poor reading skills during their early years,’ Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart explained.
‘For this very reason, the World Health Organisation recommends higher levels of iodine during pregnancy to support the child’s developing brain.’
