Wakame is a leafy, deep green seaweed used in Japanese and Korean cuisine. It is available in dried or fresh forms and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Wakame is also a source of fucoxanthin, which may promote weight loss in rats. However, seaweed should be consumed in moderation due to its high sodium content.
Wakame is a type of edible seaweed or sea vegetable that is traditionally used in Japanese and Korean cuisines. The seaweed is leafy and deep green in color, and is usually available in a dried, dehydrated form, although fresh salt-preserved varieties are also sold. Its flavor is mild and somewhat similar to spinach, and it is often used in soups and salads. Wakame is considered a healthy, macrobiotic food due to its low fat and cholesterol content and its high concentrations of vitamins and minerals.
This variety of seaweed has been cultivated by Japanese and Korean farmers for centuries using aquaculture methods. In the late 20th century, wakame cultivation also began in Brittany, France and Tasmania, Australia. It has been available in the West since the macrobiotic diet rose in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s.
Dried wakame can be sold whole or in flakes, while the fresh variety is usually sold whole. Whole varieties of seaweed require soaking before using in cooking to replenish them and reduce their salty taste. Half an hour of soaking in fresh water is usually sufficient, with the algae greatly increasing in size as it absorbs more water. The leaves can be removed and cut, while the inedible stem can be tossed away or set aside to make dashi-like soup stock. Wakame flakes don’t necessarily require soaking and can be sprinkled on many different foods to add savory flavor and crunchy texture.
Some varieties of wakame are browner in color than others; these varieties tend to have a stronger salty taste and darker color. Most wakame has a mild flavor that is both sweet and savory, and is commonly found in miso soup. The seaweed variety is often combined with other vegetables and dressed liberally with rice wine vinegar to make the popular Japanese salad known as sunomono. It can also be added to stir-fry, rice and noodle dishes or served on its own as a side dish drizzled with vinegar, miso or soy.
Wakame is a good source of vitamins A, C and E and also contains high amounts of iron and calcium. In the 21st century, Japanese chemists discovered that the seaweed also contains a chemical compound called fucoxanthin that appears to promote weight loss in rats by allowing them to burn fat faster. It is unclear whether fucoxanthin has the same effect in humans. Despite the many health benefits of consuming seaweed, most varieties of seaweed are high in sodium. Therefore, seaweed should be consumed in moderation to avoid increasing the risks of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
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