If you are unfamiliar with the name, bladderwrack is actually a common type of seaweed similar to kelp. It exhibits a number of potential health benefits including thyroid health, improved metabolism and circulation. It is also an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant food that can help strengthen the bones, improve heart health and prevent you from aging prematurely.
What is bladderwrack?
Bladderwrack is a type of seaweed that thrives in various parts of the world’s oceans. It is commonly found in Europe, the British Isles and in the Baltic sea while it is also seen around North America’s eastern coast. Bladderwrack is also known around the world by such names as red fucus, rockweed and black tang or by its botanical name “Fucus Vesiculosus.”
Bladderwrack thrives best in shallow, sheltered inlets where there is little water movement and can be found in very large masses in some areas. For anybody that wants to do some collecting, bladderwrack is easy enough to identify by the paired air sacks seen on its midrib branches.
Nutritional value
Although it is nowhere near as well known as many herbal remedies or even other types of seaweed, bladderwrack has been used as a medicinal remedy for many years. It is rich in iodine and was an early source of this important mineral.
Iodine is essential for thyroid health and treating numerous illnesses and is also an important part of a healthy diet. As well as iodine, it is a great source of natural antioxidants and minerals like beta-carotene and potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron. Bladderwrack also contains mucilage, some of the B family vitamins and small quantities of vitamins A, C, K and E.
Chemical composition
Bladderwrack contains a number of active ingredients including the following:
Facts about bladderwrack
Bladderwrack health benefits
1. Thyroid health
Back during the 19th century in the days before modern medicine, bladderwrack was used as the original iodine source for medicinal purposes. Iodine is absolutely essential for the health of your thyroid and to ensure that your hormones and metabolism remain in healthy balance.*
Because bladderwrack is such a rich source of iodine, it can be used to treat a variety of thyroid conditions which help control your metabolic and hormonal balance. Bladderwrack essentially works by stimulating the thyroid and allowing it to produce sufficient hormones.*
2. Women’s health
When it comes to female health, bladderwrack offers plenty of potential. Iodine is necessary if the thyroid is to do its job properly and produce sufficient hormones. This is significant in terms of women’s health as a lack of hormones can hinder ovulation.*
Poor thyroid function during pregnancy can have a detrimental effect on both the mother’s blood pressure and mental function of the unborn child.*
Another function of iodine its use for treating fibrocystic breast disease — one of the leading causes of breast cancer. According to studies, bladderwrack has a similar function to soy in regulating a female’s sex organs making it a safe alternative to soy. *
The same study linked above found that bladderwrack helped women with a history of short and light menstrual cycles. Those who took 1.4g of bladderwrack each day experienced considerably longer periods. Moreover, women who took bladderwrack produced less estrogen but increased their levels of progesterone.*
Progesterone prepares a woman’s uterus lining for fertilization each month. Without sufficient amounts of the hormone, they are unable to conceive.*
Note however that there are safety concerns regarding bladderwrack during pregnancy and pregnant women should only take it under medical supervision.
3. Anti-inflammatory
Bladderwrack has natural anti-inflammatory properties and it has been used through the years to treat various internal and external inflammatory conditions. For people with painful joints caused by conditions like gout or arthritis, bladderwrack may be just what they need to ease the pain and move more freely.*
Bladderwrack can also help treat inflammatory skin problems and hemorrhoids in a safe and natural way. Depending on the type of inflammation you are trying to treat, bladderwrack can be taken internally or topically.*
4. Vision
As we have already mentioned, bladderwrack is a good source of beta-carotene. This is an antioxidant pigment responsible for giving certain fruit and vegetables their rich colors. Beta-carotene is known to improve eye health and vision by neutralizing the damaging effect of free radicals on the eyes. It helps to slow down the macular degeneration that comes with aging and can prevent cataracts from developing.*
5. Heart health
According to research, bladderwrack can help increase the levels of “good” HDL cholesterol in the blood. By improving your cholesterol, this healthful seaweed can protect the heart from many killer diseases like atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.*
It may also have a positive effect on your blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension, which protects you from heart disease and means your cardiovascular system is put under less strain.*
6. Digestive health
We are all aware of the importance of fiber as it relates to overall health and digestive health in particular. Unfortunately, that does not mean that we take heed and get enough of it. Bladderwrack is a great source of several types of healthy fiber including a fiber called alginic acid. Alginic acid has a very beneficial effect on digestion.*
It can add bulk to the food passing through the bowels to help relieve constipation. It also improves nutritional uptake making the food we eat more beneficial to our bodies. Bladderwrack can also help ease bloating and flatulence while it is also considered effective for painful stomach cramps and gastric ulcers.*
7. More on fiber content
Bladderwrack also contains large amounts of a unique form of fiber called fucoidan. Fucoidan has been linked to a number of different health benefits including a reduction in cholesterol, reduced blood sugar, and may even have anti-tumor effects.*
Fucoidan helps to regulate the substance responsible for the reproduction if cells and their growth. In theory, fucoidan slows the growth of harmful cells meaning that it can hinder the proliferation of cancer.*
8. Anti-aging
Bladderwrack has numerous valuable nutrients that can help you feel and appear younger for longer. It is also a great source of natural antioxidants which are known to help your skin’s appearance. Taking bladderwrack supplements can reduce the appearance of age spots, wrinkles and other unsightly skin blemishes. It also helps to tighten the skin and keep it more elastic even as you age.*
Not only do antioxidants improve your appearance but they also help to combat the damage done to your insides from the harmful free radicals we can’t help but encounter every day. Natural antioxidants of the type found in bladderwrack and many other natural products can protect against disease and even reverse the damage done.*
9. Obesity and weight control
As well as being high in fiber and possessing very few calories, bladderwrack can stimulate metabolism making it a great way to lose weight. If your body is functioning at a higher level, it uses more energy and burns quickly through its fat reserves.*
Some people say that bladderwrack helps you to feel sated and suppresses the appetite. This means that you will eat fewer calories throughout the day and in time … lose more weight.*
Of course, there is no cure-all for obesity and simply adding one foodstuff to the diet is unlikely to have significant effects unless you use it as part of an overall diet and exercise plan.
10. Diabetes
According to a study published in 2011, bladderwrack may be useful for people with diabetes. The study set out to evaluate the effects of bladderwrack on glucose and also insulin levels following a meal.*
The double-blind study involved 23 patients of both sexes aged between 19 and 59. The researchers found that 500mg of bladderwrack in capsule form helped to decrease both insulin and glucose values. They also found that it increases insulin sensitivity in response to carbohydrate consumption and theoretically prevented their uptake. Moreover, there were no adverse side effects associated with the use of the capsules.*
The researchers had this to say:
“Consumption of the seaweed capsules was not associated with any adverse event. These data suggest that brown seaweed may alter the insulin homeostasis in response to carbohydrate ingestion.”*
How to use bladderwrack
Bladderwrack can be eaten both cooked and raw but it tastes very salty and most people use it sparingly in a soup or something similar. You can also dry your bladderwrack to use it in the future. If you are planning to eat bladderwrack, it is important that you get it from clean ocean waters and not waters that are full of human waste.
The more popular option is to buy some sort of bladderwrack supplement. There are various supplementary forms of bladderwrack available on the market including powders and capsules.
I recommend Starwest Botanicals as the brand to purchase for your bladderwrack.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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