Wakame Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Wakame is a significant source of iodine, a trace element required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism .
The iodine in wakame may have lower bioavailability (the amount actually absorbed by the body) than other sources, with one study finding that only 4% to 7% of its iodine was absorbed during digestion .
Because of its high iodine concentration, wakame is one of the few seaweeds recognized by the FDA as a viable option for dietary iodine fortification .
While wakame is a traditional staple in Asian diets, it is also the most common species used in clinical trials investigating seaweed consumption in the United States .

Interesting fact

Wakame is considered one of the world's 100 worst invasive species due to its ability to rapidly colonize new coastlines outside its native cold-water habitats in the North Pacific.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Iodine

EPIC

SOURCE

Manganese

EPIC

SOURCE

Copper

EPIC

SOURCE

Magnesium

137

kcal per 100g

Protein15.9g

Fat2.30g

Carbs28.4g

Fiber17.8g

Sugar1.81g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.91g

Monounsat0.17g

Saturated0.60g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Seaweed farming requires no fresh water or fertilizer and sequesters carbon.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Keep Dry

1–2 years

Store dried wakame in a cool, dark place.

Refrigerate

3–5 days

Applies to rehydrated or fresh wakame.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 2 validated sources

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

2 contributing source foods

Claim citations

Effects of whole seaweed consumption on humans: current evidence from randomized-controlled intervention trials, knowledge gaps, and limitations - PMC

[3]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Risks and benefits of consuming edible seaweeds - PMC - NIH

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

2024 Full Scope Technical Report - Potassium Iodide - Handling

[5]www.ams.usda.govams.usda.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

98.1

Version

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