## 3 Results and Discussion
### Mineral Composition
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Minerals**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Brown Seaweed**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Red Seaweed**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**mg/Day**} \\ \cline{2-7}  & _T. ornata_ & _P. indica_ & _L. obtusa_ & _S. scxiaoides_ & _G. gracilis_ * & **DRI Male ** & **DRI Female ** \\ \hline Na & 255.41 \(\pm\) 0.07 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 283.82 \(\pm\) 0.06 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 102.55 \(\pm\) 0.03 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 213.62 \(\pm\) 0.02 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 290.89 & 475–1450 & 400–1200 \\ Ca & 436.39 \(\pm\) 0.1 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 390.42 \(\pm\) 0.08 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 845.38 \(\pm\) 0.11 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 632.71 \(\pm\) 0.08 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 429.11 & 800 & 800 \\ K & 1102.85 \(\pm\) 0.11 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 1282.73 \(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 870.58 \(\pm\) 0.13 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 578.38 \(\pm\) 0.14 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 1380.42 & 2450–4100 & 2050–3400 \\ Mg & 266.4 \(\pm\) 0.21 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 275.45 \(\pm\) 0.12 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 101.2 \(\pm\) 0.13 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 196.81 \(\pm\) 0.11 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & Nr & 310–320 & 250–260 \\ Cd & 0.41 \(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.5 \(\pm\) 0.07 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.3 \(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.57 \(\pm\) 0.01 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & Nr & Nr & Nr \\ Pb & 0.03 \(\pm\) 0.003 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 0.02 \(\pm\) 0.003 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.01 \(\pm\) 0.005 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.02 \(\pm\) 0.01 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & & \\ Cu & 0.15 \(\pm\) 0.006 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.08 \(\pm\) 0.004 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.17 \(\pm\) 0.02 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.18 \(\pm\) 0.0 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & Nr & 900/0.9 & 900/0.9 \\ Mn & 0.67 \(\pm\) 0.006 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 0.62 \(\pm\) 0.06 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.55 \(\pm\) 0.012 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.52 \(\pm\) 0.025 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & Nr & 2.3 & 1.8 \\ Zn & 2.12 \(\pm\) 0.025 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 2.16 \(\pm\) 0.015 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 4.9 \(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 3.52 \(\pm\) 0.013 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & Nr & 13 & 7 \\ Na/K ratio & 0.232 \(\pm\) 0.006 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.231 \(\pm\) 0.01 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.118 \(\pm\) 0.006 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.369 \(\pm\) 0.006 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & Nr & Nr & Nr \\ Ion quotient & & & & & & & \\ ratio (in moles) [Ca + Na]/[Mg + K] & 0.359 \(\pm\) 0.001 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.315 \(\pm\) 0.002 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.492 \(\pm\) 0.006 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 0.743 \(\pm\) 0.0002 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & Nr & Nr & Nr \\ Na]/[Mg + K] & & & & & & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* [PERSON] et al. [59] ** Dietary reference intake: the amount recommended for consumption daily for Thai adults of age 19–50 years [56]. Nr: not reported due to lack of suitable data. Values are means of three replicates \(\pm\) standard deviations (SD). Different letters refer to significant differences between species (_p_ < 0.05).  
\end{table} 
Table 1: Minerals contents (mg/100 g DW) of seaweed species compared to dietary reference intake (mg/day). valuable source of calcium. As a result, seaweed bioavailability and bioaccessibility must be investigated further [47]. The Na/K ratio in the species investigated varied from 0.369 to 0.118, showing ideal values for using these species as food to maintain a balanced Na/K ratio [62]. Seaweeds with low Na/K ratios are useful as salt replacers, according to [PERSON] et al. [63]. Potassium, sodium, and chloride maintain fluid balance in the gastrointestinal tract by reducing sodium intake and increasing potassium intake, while potassium, calcium, and magnesium are associated with lowering blood pressure and lowering the risk of stroke [64]. In this regard, [PERSON] et al. [65] found that Wakame (_Undaria pinnatifida_) and Sea Spaghetti (_Himanthalia elongata_) seaweed species contained approximately eight times more calcium than milk, suggesting that they could be an excellent source of calcium for osteoporosis prevention and treatment, for growing children, and pre- and post-menopausal women.