What Are Sea Beans And How Do You Eat Them?

In this day and age, you're probably well aware of the various impacts that climate change has had on society — and you've probably experienced some of them yourself. Rising temperatures, forest fires, more frequent and intense natural disasters, flooding, droughts, and the list goes on. But what about the impact it has on the food you eat? Climate change can affect many different areas of the global food supply system, whether it be putting livestock at risk, increasing the spread of disease, reducing nutritional quality, or causing smaller crop yields — and right now, as you are reading this, it's all happening. But there's another problem posing a risk to what you and your community eat: soil salinization. 

Soil salinization is a natural process — though it can be accelerated by farming — that occurs when water-soluble salts accumulate in the soil. According to a 2015 study published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, salinization affects around 7% of the Earth's surface land, rendering it unusable for growing food. That number is expected to increase with projected climate change, salinizing 50% of the planet's agricultural land by the year 2050. However, salt-tolerant plants like sea beans (plants of the genus Salicornia), which thrive in high-saline environments, have the potential to restore these areas. As a result, many scientists believe they might become a key component to feeding a growing global population in the face of climate change. Luckily, they also happen to taste really good. 

Of all the water on planet Earth, only 2% is fresh — half of which is frozen inside glaciers. The 1% that is accessible continues to be used irrationally, with more than 70% of it devoted to agriculture alone. The global population is estimated to reach 9 billion people by the year 2050, requiring agricultural production to increase by 50%. In turn, this increases freshwater withdrawals by 15% — which could threaten over half of the world's population by 2050, sending them into a state of increased water shortages. And that's why saltwater agriculture is so integral. 

Sea beans, uniquely, are the first crop being farmed this way hydroponically, thanks to an environmental scientist named Sam Norton. Every week, local fishing crews bring 380 liters of salt water to Heron Farms' indoor facility, making it possible to grow them year round. The farmed sea beans are sold to local restaurants, brewers, and consumers, and the profits are then used to replant native sea beans in South Carolina marshes.

Replanting the sea beans in the wild allows the plants to absorb the excess salt in the marshes caused by dredging, which reduces the natural purifying influx of ocean water. Sea beans restore the habitat both by lowering the salinity and creating a storm buffer zone, allowing the marshlands to continue to support the many different species that call it home. There's also the potential to utilize halophytes like sea beans in animal feed to reduce, and even eliminate, the amount of freshwater used for animal agriculture — which, as seen in the case of high water use in beef production, can be a surprisingly large volume.

Sea beans are salty — it's all due to their halophytic nature. But they also come with a refreshing crunch and satisfying snap. You can think of them as the ocean's version of your usual green beans or asparagus batches. And, much like their land-grown veggie friends, sea beans are prepared in different ways around the world. In Turkey, for instance, they're commonly blanched in olive oil and garlic, while, in Korea, they are typically dried, ground, blended with sea salt, and used as a seasoning. South Koreans often stir fry them in a dish with glass noodles, Italians toss them in pasta or dress them in lemon juice, olive oil, and burrata, and, in France, they're used just like any other ingredient you'd find in your omelet. 

From sea bean coleslaw to tacos, there are a number of recipes you can use for inspiration when cooking with sea beans. In some cases, as in a plant-based tuna salad, their brininess and fish-reminiscent aromas can be used to your advantage, adding that important aspect that's missing from most plant-based fish alternatives. But, in other ways, they can be overpowering, and that's especially true if you don't like the smell of tuna in the first place. The same can be said about how salty they are. Luckily, there are a few ways you can subdue the salinity of sea beans. Whether you're serving them raw, or boiling, roasting, steaming, blanching, or sautéing them, a couple of hours of soaking in some fresh water will do just the trick.

Being halophytes, sea beans not only absorb salt from seawater but also other valuable ocean nutrients. As one of the best sources of minerals on the planet, the ocean is responsible for much of sea beans' nutritional profile, providing them with high levels of iron, potassium, magnesium, and more. In fact, Heron Farms claims that a serving of sea beans provides more iron than kale, more magnesium than avocados, more fiber than bananas, and even provides a valuable source of vegan omega 3.

However, what's most surprising about sea beans is that, despite their high sodium content and salty flavor, WebMD notes that, when rats consumed them, it did not dramatically alter their blood pressure. This is because sea beans contain a phytochemical called trans-ferulic acid. Trans-ferulic acid is a powerful antioxidant that, according to a 2007 study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, has anti-aging properties, combats hypertension, and can even reverse the damaging effects of nicotine. All of this makes sea beans a great healthy alternative to salt.