Sea plants can be a rich addition to your diet

Many people aren't much aware of the sea plants other than seaweed, Nori. Vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium, fiber, iodine, and amino acids are abundant in sea vegetables. They can also absorb up to five times as much carbon as land-based plants. Plants that thrive in the ocean could become a more reliable choice for produce as soil micronutrients decline owing to factory farming and climate change.

Arame
 

Arame is a long, wiry, dark brown kelp native to the Pacific Ocean's moderate temperatures. Typically, it comes from the Japanese island of Shima. It has a soft texture and a sweet, mild flavor. As a result, it's one of the more adaptable seaweeds, suitable for several dishes such as this brown rice meal with veggies, this spicy tahini sauce, and soba noodles stir fry or this arame pasta minestrone.

Ulva Lactuca
 

Ulva lactuca, often known as sea lettuce, is a green algae found in intertidal and subtidal environments throughout Europe, North America, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, South America, Southwest Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Unsurprisingly, sea lettuce imparts a salty flavor to dishes. It is crunchy and has a silky, slimy feel when fresh or moistened. It's light and flaky when it's dehydrated. It can be restored to its original state by soaking it in warm water for up to 15 minutes, much like the other seaweeds.

Salicornia
 

Salicornia, often known as sea beans or sea asparagus, is a succulent found in saline tidal pools, marshes, and mangroves. It can be found in portions of North America, South Africa, South Asia, and parts of the United Kingdom.

Crispy, crunchy, and naturally salty, these sharp green stalks are a great accent to any dish. You can eat them fresh or cooked. Their brininess pairs well with seafood, as seen in this mussel and sea bean salad or this recipe with daikon and salmon. Salicornia can also be pickled or prepared with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and onion.  However, one word of caution: don't combine this vegetable with other salty components.

Carrageen Moss
 

Carrageen moss, often known as Irish moss, is an alga that grows along the Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe. This plant, which has tiny branches and resembles a tree, grows in purple, red, green, yellow, brown, and black.

It has been described as having an earthy, fishy taste similar to oysters and clams when eaten raw. Despite this, it's commonly used in smoothies and sweets like tapioca and ice cream as a nutritious thickener. Irish moss can be used as a thickener if it is not powdered. It can be boiled or soaked in its raw form if not powdered. This also eliminates the plant's fishy flavor.

Nori
 

You're probably familiar with nori, the dark green seaweed that keeps your sushi rolls together. It has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor.

Nori comes in crisp sheets that can be plain or toasted. If you want to try anything other than sushi with this veggie, add it as a garnish to salads, rice bowls, or soups for an added punch of umami. Nori, like dulse, can be toasted as chips for a pleasant snack. More inventive uses include utilizing it as the main element in dips, like this nori sour cream variant. You can also fry them after wrapping them in meat or a meat substitute. This nori-wrapped tofu or nori-crusted tofu is deep-fried.

Dulse
 

A dulse is a form of seaweed distinguished by its fiery, reddish-purple color. It primarily grows along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans' northern rocky shores. It has, however, been spotted in warmer temperate locations as far south as New Jersey in North America, as well as along the Portuguese and Spanish coasts.

This bright maritime produce has a delicate, leathery texture and a salty, savory flavor that has been compared to bacon. Whether you're a vegetarian or not, we advocate using it as a meat flavoring or meat substitute in meals.

Wakame

Wakame is an algae found along the coastline of Japan, China, Korea, and Russia. It can also be found in the Northwest Pacific Ocean's cold temperate zones. This plant, sometimes known as sea mustard, is famed for its silky smooth texture and somewhat sweet umami flavor. It's a popular ingredient in miso soup. It can also be used in curries, such as this yellow tofu curry. However, due to its delicate texture, wakame goes nicely with salads with crunchier components, like this vegan cucumber salad or this confetti salad with black sesame dressing.

Kombu
 

Kombu is Japanese kelp that grows in Japan, Russia, China, Tasmania, Australia, South Africa, the Scandinavian Peninsula, and western North American regions such as California and British Columbia. This slippery sea vegetable has a salty, mushroom-like umami flavor, but it is more rigid and thicker than many other types of seaweeds. Kombu is best known as a component of the Japanese soup stock dashi.