5. Diabetes

Diabetes is a complex disorder in metabolism when a person is not able to properly digest sugar, either due to a partial or total lack of insulin or the inability of insulin to carry out its normal function. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. When blood glucose level is elevated in normal body, insulin is secreted into blood to accelerate glucose degradation in certain tissues and glycogen formation in other tissues. This results in the lowering of glucose levels in the blood. A protein which exhibits similar function to insulin was isolated from sea vegetables. Also, foods high in dietary fibers are effective in lowering glucose levels in the blood stream.

6. Alginic Acid and Healthy Intestines

There are about 10 trillion bacteria with 100 kinds living inside the human intestines. Among those bacteria, there are various beneficial bacteria which prevent pathogenic bacteria from proliferation, and harmful bacteria which enhance decomposition and produce poisons matter. Alginic acid, which is abundant in sea vegetables, is a water-soluble dietary fiber that is a nutrient for beneficial bacteria; therefore, eating sea vegetables helps increase the number of beneficial bacteria. Since the total number of bacteria inside the intestines is stable, the increase of beneficial bacteria will help suppress the activity of harmful bacteria. Therefore, consuming enough sea vegetables is effective in balancing the bacteria inside the intestines and keeping healthy intestines. Alginic acid is also effective in the prevention of high blood pressure by discharging sodium from the body and decreasing blood cholesterol.

7. Cellulose and Prevention of Colon Cancer

Cellulose, which is naturally occurring in sea vegetables, is a non-soluble dietary fiber. It absorbs water and expands inside the intestines; it increases the amount of excrement and softens it. Cellulose also stimulates the walls of intestines to activate vermiculation; it prevents excrement from staying inside the intestines for a longer period of time. This helps prevent harmful matters in excrement from being absorbed inside the intestines. Therefore it is said that consuming sea vegetables allows dietary fiber, cellulose, to work against colon cancers.

8. Minerals and Maintenance of Body Function/Stress Moderation

Minerals are one of the five nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals) which must be consumed everyday in order to maintain healthy body function. Lack of minerals could cause deterioration of body structure and function which could then cause various problems such as weakening of bones, anemia, goiter, etc. as well as deterioration of beautiful skin. Sea vegetables are grown in the sea which is called "the treasure of minerals;" therefore, they contain more kinds and quantity of minerals than land vegetables. Particularly iron, iodine, zinc, calcium, potassium, amongst others are naturally contained and easily absorbed through sea vegetables. Sea vegetables work toward maintaining functions of various parts of the body such as the heart, bones, muscles, etc., as well as moderating stress.

9. Iodine and Physical/Mental Health.

Sea vegetables include a plethora of iodine that is the main ingredient of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones help hasten the growth of children as well as activate metabolism throughout life. Lack of iodine causes fatigue, physical inflexibility, and physical/mental inactivity. For children, lack of iodine slows growth. The necessary amount for a day is said to be 100 fg.

10. Toxic substances

There are also some substances in sea vegetables that will be toxic when they are taken an excessively large amount. Among those, arsenic bromine and iodine are the minerals which are of the concern. There are, on the other hand, very few reported cases of poisoning by eating sea vegetables. Generally speaking, unless an abnormally high amount is eaten, by using traditional cooking methods, most iodine should be removed. When sun dried sea vegetable is soaked for some 20 to 30 minutes, 90% of the toxic substance is removed.