The heart is one of the most important organ in the body and is the main motor in the blood drainage. Therefore, maintaining heart health is important. Efforts that can be done is by avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol, a balanced diet and regular exercise.
One other way that may potentially help heart health is the consumption of seaweed. Scientists have identified that the algae (seaweed) have great potential as a food that is heart healthy.
Article published the Journal of Agricultural and food chemistry states, seaweed can compete with dairy products as sources of nutrients called "bioactive peptides".
Researchers consisting of Dr. Mary Hayes, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Eimear Gallagher, and Deniz Tasdemir of the Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ireland conducted a study on the utilization of seaweed as a source of protein that has properties such as bioactive peptides.
"Bioactive peptides" which are found in dairy products, not only provides nutrients, but also has the same effect with the drug and prevent certain diseases.
Seaweed is also known by the name of the macroalga an alternative food source rich in nutrients. Communities in East Asia and other cultures for centuries been eating seaweed.
Review of 100 studies concluded that seaweed contains a protein that works like boiactive peptides in dairy products. Bioactive peptides are useful for lowering blood pressure and almost the same as the ACE inhibitors that are popular.
"Various species marcoalga and the environment in which they are located and the ease of cultivation make seaweed is relatively unexplored as a new bioactive compounds. It should be more efforts to harness its potential to be used and marketed consumer food products," researchers said in a report. (M05-11)
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