The market for seaweed as human food originated in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, etc.) and probably did so for functional reasons. There are high population levels in Southeast Asia, and ocean fishing is a necessary contributing food source. If one casts or drags a net close to shore, one tends to get seaweed as well as fish. Ocean Marine life hides among seaweed and other aquatic plants (algae is another term for aquatic plants), predatory fish hunt prey there, and many fish and sea mammals eat it. Seaweed is the term most often used for ocean aquatic plants that are collected intentionally, accidentally, or washed up on shore.
Seaweed must be harvested and prepared fresh to be fit for human consumption. The consumer must offer or seek some description and guarantee that the harvest took place in uncontaminated water. If you’re not a relatively poor resident of overcrowded Southeast Asia, why would you eat seaweed? Because you can. British chefs have been particularly noted for advancing the use of seaweed in high-end cuisine. “Crispy Duck and Seaweed” is one such dish.
What about the nutritional value of seaweed? You can search for it on the web. Be skeptical when the website is framed with advertisements for seaweed products. Expect to see attributes such as high fiber content, various vitamins and minerals that provide a small percentage of the daily human requirement in a single serving, antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, low calories, and qualities to help you manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and for Low cholesterol. The news is not all good: seaweed may be high in iodine and may have absorbed heavy metals (cadmium, mercury, lead, aluminum).
How does algae smell? I saved the best for last. It smells good if it is prepared and consumed quickly after being harvested fresh from clean ocean water. As it breaks down, the algae smells like rotten eggs. This is why you won’t find raw seaweed in a grocery aisle housed next to sprouts and lettuce. That’s also why I titled this article “fried seaweed chips.” People in Western civilization, as a group, tend to shy away from food that is unfamiliar, dark in appearance, somewhat slimy, and if the smell triggers the gag reflex. But, if one offers that same fried food, too salty and in the form of chips, well, pass the bag! If you like fries, maybe you can find a local restaurant that serves fresh seaweed. “Oh, and can I get ‘Crispy Duck’ on that?”
Jesus ate fish, but the Christian Bible does not mention any consumption of seaweed. Being born into the Jewish community, he probably followed the ancient Hebrew dietary guideline, which forbade eating shellfish, pork, or any animal that ate dead things. While Jesus walked the Earth as a human, his journey was within the confines of Judea and Galilee. His ministry only lasted about three years and mainly he taught his chosen disciples about God and what God wants humans to do. Jesus powerfully demonstrated to them that he was the Son of God. Through the surviving disciples, Christian ministry developed, and yes, today you will find Christians in Southeast Asia praying to God the Father before enjoying a meal of freshly harvested seaweed with fish.