Here are the top 10 topics visitors are searching. Heart Disease 8. Kelp is a sea vegetable that is a concentrated source of minerals, including iodine , potassium , magnesium , calcium , and iron . Kelp as a source of iodine assists in making thyroid hormones, which are necessary for maintaining normal metabolism in all cells of the body.
Kelp can be one of several brown-colored seaweed species called Laminaria.
People who avoid sea vegetables, as well as dairy , seafood , processed food, and the salt shaker, can become deficient in iodine. Although rare in Western societies, iodine deficiency can cause low thyroid function , goiter, and cretinism. Since the introduction of iodized salt, additional sources of iodine, such as kelp, are unnecessary. However, kelp can be consumed as a source of other minerals. It has been suggested that intakes above 2,000 mcg per day should be regarded as excessive or potentially harmful.