fresh seaweed

[Deleted member 12226]

Where can you buy fresh seaweed? I have never seen it in the store, just the powdered stuff. I also can't seem to find organic water cress. My Whole Foods doesn't sell it. I am really picky and will only eat organic produce I am looking for natural sources of iodine to add to my diet because I just tested low for it (in the 30's)

 

[Lou]

For fresh seaweed you should try a Japanese market.
You can also buy various kinds of "sea vegetables" in stores. Check the Asian aisle.
Some of them are dried and you can use as salad toppings.
and you can buy sheets of nori online. Make some sushi.
most multi vitamins contain iodine.

 

[silva]

I've never been tested for iodine!
Is that something you requested? And why?

I use iodized salt
I've only seen fresh seaweed at Asian groceries

The Healthiest Natural Source of Iodine

 

[Lou]

I don't use iodized salt and I've never had my iodine levels tested but I've had my thyroid function tested - and I appear to be good.

Cronometer, by default, doesn't track iodine. So I'm not sure if I get enough iodine. but my multi has 50% of the RDA. Many multis go with 100% - it's not that big a difference.

I'm pretty sure that the reason Cronometer doesn't track iodine is the the iodine levels in fresh fruits and vegetable vary significantly. For instance, a lot of the vegetables I buy at the farmer's market are grown along the coast of California. So they have a lot of iodine naturally.

 

[Deleted member 12226]

I stopped eating eggs/meat/fish as of the last month and am back to my peanut butter diet... I have really gotten afraid of all of it. The peanut butter doesn't really make me feel good mentally but it seems to digest and go through me unlike the meat/fish though fish is the most tolerable. I also don't like worrying about where the meat came from/animal was treated or its freshness, or if I'm going to eat an egg that tastes bad. (I have a lot of issues to work out with food) I am however now taking the b12 supplement. I just need to find supplements for other things that I'm not afraid of. (Im afraid of artificial ingredients as well as acidic things - they often put vitamin c in the supplements that is acidic) I haven't eaten seafood in a long time now and my sea salt has no iodine in it. That's why I knew it had to be low. I can't find a good salt with iodine that doesn't have other weird stuff in it. Ive been having cravings for salmon even though I don't really like it if that makes sense. I think its because salmon contains everything my body is low on - iodine, Vitamin D, b12, vitamin A retinol (even though I eat lots of leafy greens, beta carotene was good, but retinol tested low), and probably most of all omega 3 dha and epa. Salmon has almost everything a vegan is probably at risk of deficiency for.

 

[Lou]

It's pretty well established that you can't trust cravings. It is very rare that they are in response to some real biological need. Even hunger is not reliable.

To get enough of omega 3 and other stuff you would have to eat salmon twice a week. that probably is also more mercury and other heavy metals that you should be eating on a regular basis.

As you yourself have admitted, a lot of your issues have to do with something akin to phobias. I've already discussed how many of your concerns are just irrational. I believe I also posted a few articles about treating those issues.

I Love how you are concerned with nutrition and eating right. but I do think that your first concern is with these phobias you have.

A healthy vegan doesn't need to buy a lot of supplements. But they do need to buy a few. And we all need to eat a varied diet that includes a lot more than peanut butter.

 

[Deleted member 12226]

The thing is if you are afraid of tofu soybeans and beans, than all that's left for good protein is peanut butter despite the omega 6. While I do realize I have a lot of irrational fears, I need to stay alive until I conquer them. Peanuts also have the best amino acid profile. That's why I choose peanut butter. I eat plenty of greens.

 

[silva]

The thing is if you are afraid of tofu soybeans and beans, than all that's left for good protein is peanut butter despite the omega 6. While I do realize I have a lot of irrational fears, I need to stay alive until I conquer them. Peanuts also have the best amino acid profile. That's why I choose peanut butter. I eat plenty of greens.

First, WHY are you afraid of soy beans?
Even if you skip soy, what's wrong with other beans? Nuts? Seeds?
The amino acids really do work well together if you eat a good diet- beans and grains and greens and fruits would do you a world of good!

 

[silva]

Why peanut butter? Why not like walnuts, or raw almond butter? or hemp seeds?

 

[Deleted member 12226]

I snack on walnuts and pecans here and there but I do not rely on them for protein because they don't have much. Almonds don't have nearly as much amino acid as peanuts. Other foods I eat are spinach, tat soi, arugula, chard and baby spring greens, a few grape tomatoes, and avocado, some onion. I recently stopped the sauerkraut because of the acidity. My vitamin c level was low and it brought it up. I think I need to up the tat soi now to keep it from going low. I've never tried hemp seeds.

 

[David3]

The thing is if you are afraid of tofu soybeans and beans, than all that's left for good protein is peanut butter despite the omega 6. While I do realize I have a lot of irrational fears, I need to stay alive until I conquer them. Peanuts also have the best amino acid profile. That's why I choose peanut butter. I eat plenty of greens.

.
Beans and peanuts are members of the same plant family: Legumes: Legume - Wikipedia

If you're not afraid of eat peanut butter, then you need not be afraid to eat beans.

 

[David3]

Where can you buy fresh seaweed? I have never seen it in the store, just the powdered stuff. I also can't seem to find organic water cress. My Whole Foods doesn't sell it. I am really picky and will only eat organic produce I am looking for natural sources of iodine to add to my diet because I just tested low for it (in the 30's)

.
Amazon sells iodine tablets that contain only iodine and plant cellulose: https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Encapsulations-Potassium-Hypoallergenic-Supplement/dp/B003PQRPA4. Cheap and easy.

 

[Deleted member 12226]

I just saw those, I am going to give them a try. Thanks.

 

[Lou]

I snack on walnuts and pecans here and there but I do not rely on them for protein because they don't have much. Almonds don't have nearly as much amino acid as peanuts. Other foods I eat are spinach, tat soi, arugula, chard and baby spring greens, a few grape tomatoes, and avocado, some onion. I recently stopped the sauerkraut because of the acidity. My vitamin c level was low and it brought it up. I think I need to up the tat soi now to keep it from going low. I've never tried hemp seeds.

I've never bought raw hemp seed. Except as bird food. They do something to the hemp seeds and we buy them as hemp hearts. And I've seen hemp milk.

 

[silva]

I've never bought raw hemp seed. Except as bird food. They do something to the hemp seeds and we buy them as hemp hearts. And I've seen hemp milk.

hemp hearts are just shelled hemp seeds. I like them a lot-I found bags close to expire date cheap and was adding to morning oats along w/flax, and my snack bars. Dates, walnuts, oats, flax, hemp, cocoa......

 

[Lou]

hemp hearts are just shelled hemp seeds. I like them a lot-I found bags close to expire date cheap and was adding to morning oats along w/flax, and my snack bars. Dates, walnuts, oats, flax, hemp, cocoa......

From what I understand - shelling hemp seeds is easier said than done.

I use my hemp hearts when I make overnight oats sometimes. Instead of flax or chia seeds.