FOOD NEWS
Wakame Is The Japanese Superfood Your Diet Should Have
BY TOM MAXWELL
If you've ever enjoyed a bowl of miso soup, you’ve probably tasted wakame, the soft, salty, lightly sweet sea kelp that's a classic addition to the dish.
Wakame, AKA Undaria pinnatifida, is a nutrient-dense seaweed with a dark brownish-green color that has been harvested and used in food for around 1,500 years.
The seaweed is native to the waters of northeast Asia. The leaves, which are sold frozen, pickled, and dried, have a flavor similar to mustard greens with an added savory brine.
Wakame has a satiny, slippery mouthfeel, and is often used in soups and salads. Before using, it's usually rehydrated or blanched to add a better texture and vibrant green color.
While wakame from Japan's Seto Inland Sea is particularly renowned, you can find mass market brands online, at Asian markets, or at grocery stores with an international section.
In addition to being versatile, wakame is very nutrient-dense, chock-full of vitamins A, C, E, and K, iron, copper, phosphorus, iodine, tyrosine, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.