Rajapakse Niranjan, Kim Se-Kwon
Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Adv Food Nutr Res. 2011;64:17-28. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-387669-0.00002-8.
Seaweed is a famous delicacy in some parts of the Asia and also a well-known source of important food hydrocolloids, such as agar, alginates, and carrageenan. In addition to the food value of seaweed, several health benefits have also been reported to be present in this valuable food source. It is presumed that the unique features of the marine environment, where the seaweeds are grown, are mainly responsible for most of its properties. Among the functional effects of the seaweed, nutritional and health-related benefits have been widely studied. Compared to the terrestrial plants and animal-based foods, seaweed is rich in some health-promoting molecules and materials such as, dietary fiber, ω-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, and vitamins A, B, C, and E. In this chapter, the nutritive value of seaweed and the functional effects of its soluble fiber are discussed with a special reference to the digestive health promotion of human.
海藻在亚洲的一些地区是一种著名的美食，也是重要食用水胶体（如琼脂、藻酸盐和角叉菜胶）的知名来源。除了海藻的食用价值外，据报道这种宝贵的食物来源还具有多种健康益处。据推测，海藻生长的海洋环境的独特特征是其大部分特性的主要原因。在海藻的功能作用中，与营养和健康相关的益处已得到广泛研究。与陆生植物和动物性食物相比，海藻富含一些促进健康的分子和物质，如膳食纤维、ω-3脂肪酸、必需氨基酸以及维生素A、B、C和E。在本章中，将特别参考对人类消化健康的促进作用，讨论海藻的营养价值及其可溶性纤维的功能作用。
