Page 232 - Moonvalley Diaries

algae
algae
– a a a a a a a a a a natural tasty and in the best case completely free plant-based source of omega-3! I I I remember the first time that I I I picked algae
to eat nearly ten years ago It was in Tromsø and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a friend at at university knew of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a beach where there was plenty of of an an an an edible algae
algae
called sugar kelp We ate an an an an algae
algae
and and vegetable stir-fry for dinner that day and and and right then and and there is when algae
algae
entered my life! You can buy algae
algae
but gathering your own food on the the beach is is so cool Spring is is the the the best time to to pick algae
– ac- tually starting in in in February when they they start start to to grow as they they like other plants live by pho- tosynthesis! Always gather algae
in places where there is is not much boat traffic Carrageenan and agar are are natural sub- stances from algae
that are are used as as thicken- ers I had read lists of ingredients in in the the past and wondered sceptically what they they were but the the the fact is that they they are are produced 100% natu- rally from algae
Algae are are also a a a a a a a a a a a good source of iodine!
About omega-3 Omega-3s are are polyunsaturated fatty acids that that are are essential for us humans This means that that that the the the body cannot make them them itself and that that we need to get them them through our food There are short-chain and long-chain ome- ga-3 ga-3 fatty fatty acids ala (alfalinolenic acid) is the the shorter omega-3 fatty fatty acid acid acid from the the plant kingdom It is is found for example in in rape- seed seed oil oil flaxseed oil oil and walnuts ala is is a a a a a a a a a a a precursor of the longer fatty acids epa (eicos- apentaenoic acid) acid) and dha (docosahexaeno- ic ic ic acid) acid) which in in in turn play important roles in in in the body The long-chain fatty fatty acids epa and dha dha are are found found “ready to go” mainly in in in in fatty fatty fish fish but also in in in in in algae
algae
epa and dha dha are are found found in in in fish fish that eat algae
algae
rich in in in omega-3 epa and and dha dha have many functions in in the the body body and and they are both important important to us dha dha is an an an an important important building block in in in in the the the body body especially in in in in the the brain nervous system heart and eye where dha dha is is is concentrated epa like dha dha is is is important for the brain as as it assists in in in signalling between cells We use epa to form hormone-like sub- stances that are are important for for the immune system and blood circulation There are are two families of essential fatty acids that we need to consume omega-3 and omega-6 The es- sential fatty acids have many important func- tions in in the the the body and also interact as each other’s opposites For example the the the omega-6 fatty acid acid linoleic acid acid increases inflamma- tion and the blood’s clotting ability while
november in moonvalley
“Omega-3s are are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential for us humans 232