Foundation Diet and Health
Foundation
Diet and Health
Switzerland
QR Code
The best perspective for your health

Wakame

Wakame has a crisp consistency and has a subtle briny and sweet flavor. It can be used raw or cooked and is rich in iodine (10–20 mg/100 g dry weight).
We have provided the missing values for the nutritional information from the USDA database for this ingredient.

Many people believe that this product is a raw food because it appears to be in its natural state. However, in the majority of cases it isn’t raw! This is usually because the production process requires heat, and other alternative processes would involve much more time and money, as is the case here - or it has to be pasteurized. At least one of these reasons applies here.

If a product is labeled as raw, before it is sold it still may be mixed with other products that have undergone cheaper processes. Depending on the product, you may not be able to distinguish any differences when it comes to appearance or taste.

By the way, raw foodists should also understand that there are foods that are raw but that as such contain toxins — or that can only be eaten raw in small quantities. These are indicated with a different symbol.

80%
Water
 71
Macronutrient carbohydrates 71.35%
/24
Macronutrient proteins 23.65%
/05
Macronutrient fats 5%
 

The three ratios show the percentage by weight of macronutrients (carbohydrates / proteins / fats) of the dry matter (excl. water).

Ω-6 (LA, <0.1g)
Omega-6 fatty acid such as linoleic acid (LA)
 : Ω-3 (ALA, <0.1g)
Omega-3 fatty acid such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
 = 0:0

Omega-6 ratio to omega-3 fatty acids should not exceed a total of 5:1. Link to explanation.

Values are too small to be relevant.

Wakame is a brown algae that is widely used in Asian countries to flavor hot pots and soups. In Japan, wakame is served in miso soup along with tofu. And this edible seaweed is becoming increasing popular in Europe. Wakame tastes particularly good in combination with cucumbers in green salads. The wakame sold is Europe is usually dried and is not necessarily “raw.” It depends on what type of drying and production process is used. In fact, most varieties of wakame are pasteurized, for example, at 85 °C
for 25 minutes.

Mekabu wakame, the sprouts of wakame above the roots, is sold commercially and is especially rich in nutrients. It has a stronger taste, but also requires longer cooking times.

Brown algae should only be eaten on rare occasion because 100 g of wakame contains as much iodine as you would need for a month. Consuming more than 1'000 µg of iodine per day can cause any one of several kinds of illnesses.

General information:

From Wikipedia: Wakame (ワカメ wakame?), Undaria pinnatifida, is a sea vegetable, or edible seaweed. It has a subtly sweet flavour and is most often served in soups and salads.

Sea-farmers have grown wakame in Japan since the Nara period.”

Nutritional information:

“New studies conducted at Hokkaido University have found that a compound in wakame known as fucoxanthin an help burn fatty tissue. Studies in mice have shown that fucoxanthin induces expression of the fat-burning protein UCP1 that accumulates in fat tissue around the internal organs. Expression of UCP1 protein was significantly increased in mice fed fucoxanthin. Wakame is also used in topical beauty treatments. See also Fucoidan.

Wakame is a rich source of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. At over 400 mg/100 kcal or almost 1 mg/kJ, it has one of the higher nutrient:calorie ratios for this nutrient, and among the very highest for a vegetarian source. A typical 1-2 tablespoon serving of wakame contains roughly 3.75–7.5 kcal and provides 15–30 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. Wakame also has high levels of sodium, calcium, iodine, thiamine and niacin.”

Culinary uses:

“Wakame fronds are green and have a subtly sweet flavour and satiny texture. The leaves should be cut into small pieces as they will expand during cooking.

In Japan and Europe, wakame is distributed either dried or salted, and used in soups (particularly miso soup), and salads (tofu salad), or often simply as a side dish to tofu and a salad vegetable like cucumber. These dishes are typically dressed with soy sauce and vinegar/rice vinegar.

Goma wakame, also known as seaweed salad, is a popular side dish at American and European sushi restaurants. Literally translated, it means "sesame seaweed", as sesame seeds are usually included in the recipe.”

Medicinal uses:

“In Oriental medicine it has been used for blood purification, intestinal strength, skin, hair, reproductive organs and menstrual regularity.

In Korea, the soup miyeokguk is popularly consumed by women after giving birth as sea mustard (miyeok) contains a high content of calcium and iodine, nutrients that are important for nursing new mothers. Many women consume it during the pregnancy phase as well. It is also traditionally eaten on birthdays for this reason, a reminder of the first food that the mother has eaten and passed on to her newborn through her milk, thus bringing good fortune for the rest of the year.”

Aquaculture:

“Japanese and Korean sea-farmers have grown wakame for centuries, and are still both the leading producers and consumers. Wakame has also been cultivated in France since 1983, in sea fields established near the shores of Brittany.

Wild grown wakame is harvested in Tasmania, Australia, and then sold in restaurants in Sydney and also sustainably hand-harvested from the waters of Foveaux Strait in Southland, New Zealand and freeze-dried for retail and use in a range of products.”

Invasive species:

“Native to cold temperate coastal areas of Japan, Korea, and China, in recent decades it has become established in temperate regions around the world, including New Zealand, the United States, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Australia and Mexico. It was nominated one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world.”

Nutrient tables

The complete nutritional information, coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in the following nutrient tables.

Nutritional Information per 100g
2000 kcal

The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe.

A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance.

Energy 45 kcal
188 kJ
2.2%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 2000kcal
Fat/Lipids 0.64 g0.9%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 70g
Saturated Fats 0.13 g0.7%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 20g
Carbohydrates (inc.dietary fiber) 9.1 g3.4%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 270g
Sugars 0.65 g0.7%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 90g
Fiber 0.50 g2.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 25g
Protein (albumin) 3.0 g6.1%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 50g
Cooking Salt (Na:872.0 mg)2'215 mg92.3%
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 2.4g
Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA.
Fat/Lipids
Carbohydrates
Protein (albumin)
Cooking Salt

Essential Nutrients per 100g with %-share Daily Requirement at 2000 kcal
MinIod, I (Jod, J) 4'200 µg2'800.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 150 µg
Sodium, Na 872 mg109.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg
VitFolate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and 196 µg98.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 200 µg
MinManganese, Mn 1.4 mg70.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2.0 mg
ElemMagnesium, Mg 107 mg29.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 375 mg
MinCopper, Cu 0.28 mg28.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.0 mg
ElemCalcium, Ca 150 mg19.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg
ProtThreonine (Thr, T) 0.16 g18.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g
MinIron, Fe 2.2 mg16.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 14 mg
VitRiboflavin (vitamin B2) 0.23 mg16.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg

Detailed Nutritional Information per 100g for this Ingredient

Explanations

The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.

If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.

For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.

Nutritional Information per 100g

Essential fatty acids, (SC-PUFA) 2000 kcal

The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe.

A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance.

Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega-3 0.00 g< 0.1%
Recommended daily allowance according to the CH-EDI-Verordnung: 2.0 g
Linoleic acid; LA; 18:2 omega-6 0.01 g< 0.1%
Recommended daily allowance according to the CH-EDI-Verordnung: 10 g

Nutritional Information per 100g

Essential amino acids 2000 kcal

The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe.

A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance.

Threonine (Thr, T) 0.16 g18.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g
Tryptophan (Trp, W) 0.04 g14.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.25 g
Valine (Val, V) 0.21 g13.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.6 g
Leucine (Leu, L) 0.26 g11.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 2.4 g
Isoleucine (Ile, I) 0.09 g7.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.2 g
Methionine (Met, M) 0.06 g7.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g
Phenylalanine (Phe, F) 0.11 g7.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.6 g
Lysine (Lys, K) 0.11 g6.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.9 g

Nutritional Information per 100g

Vitamins 2000 kcal

The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe.

A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance.

Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and 196 µg98.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 200 µg
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) 0.23 mg16.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) 0.70 mg12.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 6.0 mg
Niacin (née vitamin B3) 1.6 mg10.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 16 mg
Vitamin E, as a-TEs 1.0 mg8.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 12 mg
Vitamin K 5.3 µg7.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 75 µg
Thiamine (vitamin B1) 0.06 mg5.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.1 mg
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 3.0 mg4.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 80 mg
Vitamin A, as RAE 18 µg2.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 µg
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.00 mg< 0.1%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg
Vitamin D 0 µg< 0.1%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 5.0 µg

Nutritional Information per 100g

Essential macroelements (macronutrients) 2000 kcal

The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe.

A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance.

Sodium, Na 872 mg109.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg
Magnesium, Mg 107 mg29.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 375 mg
Calcium, Ca 150 mg19.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg
Phosphorus, P 80 mg11.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 700 mg
Potassium, K 50 mg3.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2'000 mg

Nutritional Information per 100g

Essential trace elements (micronutrients) 2000 kcal

The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe.

A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance.

Iod, I (Jod, J) 4'200 µg2'800.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 150 µg
Manganese, Mn 1.4 mg70.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2.0 mg
Copper, Cu 0.28 mg28.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.0 mg
Iron, Fe 2.2 mg16.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 14 mg
Fluorine, F 174 µg5.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 3'500 µg
Zinc, Zn 0.38 mg4.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 10 mg
Selenium, Se 0.70 µg1.0%
Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 55 µg

Comments