Hijiki is a black seaweed commonly used in Japanese dishes, but its high levels of inorganic arsenic have led to warnings from food inspection agencies. Despite its believed health benefits, it should be consumed in small quantities.
Hijiki is a black fibrous seaweed that grows along the coast of Korea, China and Japan. This seaweed is most commonly used in Japanese dishes and is a traditional part of the diet in this country. The seaweed is used in vegetable and fish dishes, fries, salads and sushi.
Hijiki is usually dried. It must be soaked in water and rinsed before it can be used. During the reconstitution process, the seaweed increases in size up to five times. After this soaking, the leaves look more like slippery black noodles than they do a plant.
The high fiber content of hikiji gives it a distinct texture. The flavor of the seaweed is relatively mild. It is often chopped very finely and mixed into items such as sushi rice, sauces and condiments, and grains. This type of seaweed is not used to wrap sushi, as is often the case with other seaweeds.
This seaweed is believed by the Japanese to have a wide variety of healing benefits. It is thought to nourish hair, nails and skin, strengthen teeth and bones, and generally detoxify the body. It can be used to treat high blood pressure, congestion and intestinal problems. Anxiety-related issues can be treated by the high calcium content of seaweed, and the iron in hijiki is good for anemia.
Despite these benefits, hijiki is considered by many to be unsafe for consumption due to the high levels of inorganic arsenic naturally present in seaweed. The Canadian food inspection agency issued a warning about arsenic in this food in 2001. The food standards agency in Great Britain followed this up with a similar warning in 2004. Other agencies to issue warnings about the seaweed include l New Zealand food safety authority and the food and environmental health department in Hong Kong.
Inorganic arsenic may be linked to cancer, liver damage and gastrointestinal problems. The arsenic levels in hijiki are considered toxic. However, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has emphasized that the average daily intake of this seaweed for those in Japan is minimal and therefore unlikely to cause serious harm.
Overall, those interested in using hijiki in their foods will need to make their own judgment on the item’s safety. It should always be used in small quantities. One or two tablespoons per serving is usually more than enough to add texture to a dish.
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