Reduce Heart Disease Risk

The main cause of mortality globally is heart disease. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, and being physically sedentary or overweight are all risk factors. Surprisingly, seaweed may help lower blood cholesterol levels. In one eight-week trial, rats with elevated cholesterol were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with 10% freeze-dried seaweed. It was discovered that the rats had 40% lower total cholesterol, 36% lower LDL cholesterol, and 31% lower triglyceride levels.

Excessive blood clotting can potentially cause heart disease. Fucans are sugars found in seaweed that may help reduce blood clotting. In fact, one animal research discovered that fucans derived from seaweed were as efficient as an anti-clotting medicine at preventing blood clotting. Peptides in seaweed are also being studied by researchers. Animal studies suggest that these protein-like molecules may inhibit a process in your body that raises blood pressure. Large-scale human investigations, however, are necessary to corroborate these findings.