Asian populations, in general, continue to maintain the inclusion of algae in their diet and their cooking, although in Spain, specifically, despite the fact that we have extensive coasts and , there is no interest due to the inclusion of seaweed in our diet, despite the enormous benefits that are being attributed. Several studies on the biology of algae
give antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so that they are considered as an abundant resource of bioactive molecules, and an endless source of beneficial properties for health. In addition to its use in cooking, it has multiple uses. The algae uses and characteristics For example, most of the collected algae are used as thickeners, as stabilizers and, especially, as gelling products, appearing in a multitude of applications in the food industry, in articles for home and in biomedical products.
Seaweed feeds on sunlight
As a result, we will be surprised to know that we will take (without having to enter the siquiera) much time using seaweed in cosmetics, shampoos, toothpaste, animal food, baby food, baby products, instant soups, sausage coating, and much more. How to add seaweed to platesWithout a doubt, with the time and experience you will discover new ways to incorporate these delicious marine vegetables into your plates in a thousand different ways. To empeza, prueba añadir small puñaditos
- and can be found at sea level or at sea depths, forming large marine forests. Interestingly, the Chinese, Japanese and Thai / They give us a
- clear idea that the algae were part of our everyday life and that we never knew it. Paradójicamente, España is
- the second world producer of AGAR that is obtained from algae and that so many uses have in many areas. For authors like Rupérez,
Gómez-Ordóñez and Jiménez-Escrig (2011), students of these uses would be: Algae harinas: it is obtained from dried algae that later are moved.Fertilizers: use of brown algae, rich in minerals and trace elements, which will nourish agricultural suelo. Also, thanks to its fiber content, it will contribute to the retention of water, providing a higher level of moisture to the plants. Since organic farming is currently booming, the industry that produces fertilizers is using algae in large measure,
thanks to its natural properties.Cosmetics: In a large number of cosmetic products it is possible to observe in its composition the “sea extract” or the “algae extract”, due to the large capacity that has a hydrocolloid extracted from the algae (as it can be alginate or carrageenan) to water retainer.Combustibles: during the last years research and application of the use of algae as an indirect fuel fuel has been expanded.
They are possible because the algae
will ferment, and they would form the biomass that generates methane gas, which would be used as a fuel. The results of numerous studies on the use of seaweed for the generation of fuel that could be feasible in the use of seaweed as a source of energy, there must still be further research and development so that in the future they can be economical.Wastewater treatment:
Currently, there is a new research center open, tremendously interesting: it seems that some algae may absorb heavy metal ions from contaminated water, as would be the zinc and cadmium, something that is still in study, but it seems that it will claim to be a reality in the near future.Antiviral agents: if antiviral activity has been applied to the extracts of some algae, even the tests carried out have been in vitro or in animals,
and there have been few progresses in the tests with people. For example, there are now indications that Carraguard (which is a mixture of carrageenans) is effective against HIV in vitro and against herpes simple virus-2 in animals.LA CLASIFICACIÓN DE LAS ALGAS SEGÚN SUS PIGMENTSThere are simple tan algae that are reduced to a cell sole, others in exchange between the longest vegetation in the world, hundreds of meters long.
If 24,000 species of algae are known
it is a way of classifying them according to the type of pigment that poses and gives it its characteristic aspect: The algae uses and characteristics Green algae (Chlorophyceae): they are characterized by being green due to their abundance of chlorophyll.Brown or brown algae (Feofíceas): brown or brown algae due to the presence of fucoxanthin.Red algae (Rodofíceas): red algae due to the phycoerythrin pigment.
- Bluish algae (cyanophytes): they are characterized by bluish algae due to the presence of the phycocyanin
- pigment.The brown seaweeds are large and can reach 20 meters in length and up to 2 meters in length, as in Cochayuyo seaweed. The red
- algae are smaller and smaller than 1 meter in length. Green algae are also small, and just like red algae, only measure around 1 meter in length.
All of them are of fundamentally agricultural interest, in human nutrition, in pharmacology and cosmetics, and in environmental regeneration systems for effluent purification (La Barre, S., Potin, P., Leblanc, C. and Delage, L. , 2010). We see, as sea algae are important in the food chain, an interesting source of resources in human nutrition, and as we have just seen,
they are also useful as allowances and for the manufacture of animal pens, all of them more bad. enough to stimulate your knowledge and consumption. Without forgetting, of course, its great benefits (aspect that we will deal with in the next article) and that will convince us even more of its use. Why not try it?