Can Sea Moss Reduce Levels of Bad Cholesterol?
For centuries, Irish Moss (also known as Sea moss) has been employed to cure ailments naturally; recently, its proclaimed health benefits have become a trending topic of modern scientific inquiry.
Its high nutrient density makes it immensely beneficial - containing 92 out of 102 essential nutrients required for optimal body function! It can also be utilized as nutraceuticals or functional foods that offer an array of dietary advantages.
Numerous studies have intimated that sea moss can help reduce LDL levels while also increasing HDL (the “good” cholesterol) levels.
A research paper published in the esteemed journal "Phycologia Research" in 2019 discovered remarkable results when patients, who had elevated levels of bad cholesterol, supplemented their diets with sea moss for four weeks – resulting in a significant decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Similarly, another study conducted on rats over eight weeks showed that 40% of the rats experienced a decrease in cholesterol after being fed 10% dried seaweed.
Sea moss has several properties that make it a beneficial food for those looking to regulate their cholesterol levels. Here's a summary of the ways sea moss can help:
- Sea moss helps regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure, as it contains peptides which in turn can help stabilize cholesterol levels. Thus, reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
- Loaded with potassium, magnesium, and a surplus of antioxidants, sea moss can be beneficial in curbing high cholesterol levels while additionally reducing inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body.
- It's thought that the polysaccharides and other bioactive compounds found in sea moss serve as a natural cholesterol regulator.
- Fucoxanthin is an ingredient present in sea moss – it has been seen to reduce blood sugar levels and support fat metabolism, subsequently causing diminished cholesterol concentrations and boosting overall health.
- Fucans extracted from sea moss could also help reduce blood clotting in those with high cholesterol.
So, what's the best way to consume sea moss? While it tastes great in soups, stews, smoothies, and more, we recommend speaking with your doctor before adding this superfood to your diet, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
One of the most popular ways to consume sea moss is as a gel, which can be added to smoothies and juices or used as a thickener in recipes. It can also be found in supplement form, such as capsules or powders, which can be added to drinks or taken on their own.
Additionally, dried sea moss can be used to make a traditional Caribbean dish called "sea moss pudding."
The possibilities are endless!
The bottom line, while more research is needed to fully understand the cholesterol-lowering effects of sea moss, it is a nutrient-dense food that can help support heart health and may even reduce levels of bad cholesterol.
Not only is it rich in antioxidants and vitamins, but it's also low in calories while being high in fiber, making it a great digestive food for a healthy lifestyle.
If you want to enhance your heart health, sea moss should be on your supplement list!