Green, Slimy, and Good for You: Seaweed

What's green, slimy, and good for you? Forget broccoli: seaweed is being hailed as the new superfood, and it's rather tasty, says Jane Dunford.

The nutritional benefits of sea greens have long been recognised: pound for pound, seaweed contains more iron than sirloin steak, more calcium than cheese, and more fibre than prunes.

With an unusually high proportion of protein – as much as 48 per cent in some varieties – seaweed is also richer in essential vitamins and micronutrients than any other food group. A prime source of bodybuilding minerals such as iodine and potassium, it is also the only plant source of vitamin B12, which is necessary for the production of red blood cells, and which is often lacking in meat-free diets. Read more