Do you have questions about nutrition? Send them to us at comer@lavanguardia.es, our nutritionist Aitor Sánchez will answer all your questions.
Hello, Aitor. I don't usually add seaweed to my diet. But do you think I should include any in particular in my diet? It is necessary? (Mireia García, reader)
Hello Mireia,
It is not necessary at all, nor is any other food. As I like to remember from time to time in the office there is no food that is essential and of course algae are no exception. It is true that algae can have interesting contributions of micronutrients, but we must also consume them very punctually and without abusing them. This is because they have a huge concentration of iodine, in quantities that are thousands of times higher than the recommended daily intake of this mineral.
It is true that we do not have any health alert registered for this megadose of iodine, but as it is a relatively recently introduced food in Europe, common sense and the precautionary principle tells us that it is better to take it in moderation.
Therefore, although in some Asian countries the consumption of seaweed has a long tradition, the genetics that different communities have are not exactly the same. That is why, faced with such high amounts of iodine, and knowing that in Europe we have had endemic dietary problems such as goiter and cretinism due to inadequate iodine intake, at the very least we must be careful. Some algae are also contaminated with arsenic, which is why their consumption by pregnant women and young children should be even more restricted.
Although all this information may sound very alarming, it is important to take into account the consumption quantities. Of course we can consume seaweed sporadically, but the key is to use them as a small ingredient or dressing in dishes, not as a main ingredient: some examples would be to include them in salads, stews, or soups where they remain. especially good. But we should avoid dishes with a very high grammage, prepared exclusively with seaweed.
Hello, I wanted to know what is the best way to use pumpkin seeds. Thank you. (Lorena Sánchez, reader)
Hi Lorena,
Pumpkin seeds are a very interesting food. In fact, most seeds are, and this is because we must consider them as potential life. The seeds concentrate a large amount of nutrients so that when the ideal conditions are met, a new plant can develop.
That is why we find very good quality essential oils in them, and also very bioavailable protein. Some types of seeds stand out for having a very high contribution of some nutrients of interest, such as Omega 3 in chia and flax seeds, calcium in sesame seeds, or Zinc and Magnesium in Pumpkin seeds.
There are many ways to consume them, but a very good way would be to take them as a snack: the typical roasted pumpkin seed, in which the roasting process also makes some of its nutrients more assimilable. We can also add it as a "topping" to some salads or toast, giving it a very crunchy touch and generating contrast in the bite.
It should be noted that many plant-based cheeses are using pumpkin seeds due to their high nutritional content when developing some products that today are very promising. It is possible that in a few years we will find more spreadable products based on pumpkin seed pâtés.
