Kombu

Kombu is a member of the kelp family having the yellow-brown pigment instead of green and is actually the largest and longest of all sea plants.

Kombu is a meatier seaweed with a higher protein content then some other types of kelp. It is usually used in soups.

It is high vitamin A, some B’s, calcium and iron. But you do need to be mindful that it is higher in sodium than other seaweeds.

Kombu is excellent to add to beans/legumes when cooking as not only do the minerals help to balance the protein and oils but also help make the legumes easier to digest and therefore reduce some of the potential gas-inducing qualities of the beans. It does this by softening and breaking down the tough fibres in the beans and any other foods cooked with kombu.

Use it in soups, salads, bean dishes and pickles. Or roast it and grind it into a powder and use as a condiment or instead of salt. If you can’t find kombu then look for wakame as it can be substituted.