Good source
Protein
15.9 g · 32% DV target
A silky, deep-green sea vegetable with a delicate sweetness and slippery texture, wakame is a nutrient-dense staple of East Asian cuisine that provides a concentrated source of essential trace minerals.
Wakame is a significant source of iodine, a trace element required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism .45
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 .4
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 .5
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 .3
Petal shape shows the nine FoodCompass domains, including nutrient density, processing, satiety, fats, and phytochemicals.
15.9 g · 32% DV target
3.15 g · 11% DV target
0.07 g · 27% DV target
36.3 μg · 4% DV target
2.38 mg · 16% DV target
25.1 μg · 21% DV target
Seasonality has not been estimated for this ingredient yet.
Store dried wakame in a cool, dark place.
Applies to rehydrated or fresh wakame.
Seaweed farming requires no fresh water or fertilizer and sequesters carbon.
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.