The Japanese have grown and eaten wakame seaweed for centuries, but it has yet to drift into the Western mainstream.
Our loss: studies show that the marine algae is swimming with nutrients that could help you gain strength and shed fat, fast.
Wakame, which you’ve already tried if you’ve ever slurped down a hot bowl of miso soup, deserves to be a staple outside the sushi bar.
According to a study in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, it contains fucoxanthin, a carotenoid that promotes fat oxidation. It’s also a source of hesperetin, a flavonoid that stimulates the formation of muscle tissue and provides a boost to bone health as you age.
It’s little surprise, then, that when scientists at the Korea Food Research Institute studied the effect of wakame on mice over eight weeks, they observed a powerful range of benefits.
The distance the animals could run improved by about 15 per cent, as did the size and health of their muscles. Blood flow to their muscles increased, and the mitochondria in their muscle cells (the central powerhouses that convert nutrients into energy) had grown substantially.
What’s more, the gains recorded by the researchers were largely in the category of “fast-twitch” muscle fibres – the kind involved in short, powerful movements, such as those needed for your next deadlift PB. That’s more than enough reason to take the
plunge and grab some dried wakame from your local health food shop.
Serve with prawns and crunchy cucumber and start making waves after your next
big session.
Keen for more? Check our five more Eastern delights below. These Asian superfoods are perfect for anyone hungry for better health and fitness.
1. Sashimi
Raw fish contains more omega-3, for a cardiovascular health boost.
2. Pak Choi
This is a source of sulforaphane, with anti-cancer properties.
3. Wood Ear Mushrooms
Packed with stamina-boosting polysaccharides.
4. Ramen
Contains dissolved collagen, to slow skin ageing.
5. Miso
Fermented soya beans are full of probiotics, for gut health.