The Seaweed Conundrum

Whether we look at its high calories per sqft per day or its slam dunk mineral profile, seaweed is the heaviest hitting crop I've come across so far. So many calories and nutrients, so quickly, and with nearly zero maintenance too. Too bad it tastes like soggy butt cheeks, right?

This is where some people will just hit you with that old plank about how "taste doesn't matter when you're hungry," but it turns out I don't need to go there. I actually like seaweed. I think the problem for most people isn't that it actually has a fishy taste or a slimy mouth feel - it's that they imagine it does. But seaweed isn't like that at all when it's properly cleaned and dried. You wouldn't like corn either if you had to eat it the way you found it at harvest time: uncooked, surrounded by husk and wearing a hair wig made of silk. If you've ever had sushi, you'll know that the flaky green wrapper around it is dry and chewy, with a pleasant umami flavor.

Speaking of which, remember how you felt about sushi before you'd ever had it? Gross! Raw fish? That's going to be disgusting! But then you actually tried it and, oh boy, what a revelation!

Well, I haven't actually tried a kelp salad or seaweed burger yet, so I don't know for sure that I'm going to like them, but if they're anything like that dark green crinkly stuff that comes wrapped around my California rolls, don't be surprised if I ask for seconds.