According to South Korea export statistics, over 80 countries people’s enjoying dried seaweed and seasoned seaweed. I prepare some general information of seaweed. Seaweed history, species, features, nutrition information.
1. History of Seaweed(Laver)
English name is purple laver or dried laver. It’s spreading on Korean southern sea and Japan coastal waters. It’s growing like a moss on a rock in the sea. Body is long oval type, and there is a wrinkle on edge. Length is around 14~25cm and width is 5~12cm. Upper body color is reddish brown and lower body color is a blue-green color. Color is purple or red purple. It’s showing at the coast of the Korean peninsula in October. It reproduces from winter to spring season and it reduces gradually and it’s not seen in summer. It’s named as sea clothes since it seems like a rock clothes on the beach. It’s easy to cook and tasty, it’s popular and loved by many people around the world.
2. Seaweed Species
Seaweeds are about 80 species are distributed throughout the world. South Korea is the world largest producer of laver. Farmers mainly cultivate three kinds of laver porphyra tenera kjellman, porphra yezoensis and porphyra dentata in Korea. Laver is divided according to the processing method, and it comes divided into four kinds, i.e. traditional laver, stone laver, and green laver. Traditional laver is most distributed and consumed in Korea now.
(1) Traditional Laver
It’s so-called “Korean Gim”. There are three types. First, it’s just dried laver. Second, it’s dry and roast lightly. Third, it’s dry, roast and seasoned laver. Most of people in the world prefer the third type.
(2) Stone Laver
It’s natural and grows wild. So, it’s rough and have holes, but flavor is very good. There are two types of stone laver. One is ondol-gim(called in Korean) and the other bandol-gim(called in Korean). Ondol-gim means pure natural laver and bandol-gim means mixed farming laver and natural laver. People prefer bandol-gim since it’s less rough.
(3) Green Laver
It’s mixed general laver and green laver. Green laver has good flavor, and slight roast is the most delicious to eat.
3. Nutrition Information
Main ingredients of dried seaweed are sugar content and protein.
Protein contents are the most among seaweeds and are more than soybean.
It’s representative food for alkalis agent and contain essential Amino Acid plentifully.
It’s repository of Minerals. P, Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Se Etc, all minerals contains.
In addition, vitamin A, B1, B2, C, D, E contains evenly. Most Vitamin A contains among seaweed. Most Vitamin B2 contains equal to meat. Calcium and iron for strong bones contains four times more than spinach or milk.
It contains glutamic acid, alanine, glycine, taurine ingredient causing delicious taste. Good quality seaweed has protein, vitamin, P, Mg, Zn, glutamic acid and alanine much.
