Algae - food of the future

What will we eat in the future? Insects, laboratory meat or algae?
Personally, I'm more in favor of seaweed and we've started offering seaweed-based products in our range.
What are the benefits of seaweed?

Algae are real survivors that have thrived on our planet for millions of years. They endure enormous temperature fluctuations and laugh at strong UV radiation. They grow ten times faster than other vegetables and absorb significantly more CO2 than other crops. But, what is interesting for us, they provide us with numerous nutrients. Already their protein content (proteins) is the same as eggs but for almost zero fat content.
They are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin A, protein, magnesium, calcium, iron and B vitamins (especially B1, B2, B5 and B12). Algae provide us with eight times more vitamins than oranges.

The dulse (Palmaria palmata) belongs to the red algae family. It is a fine alga with a sweet taste, hence its name. In Ireland, Scotland and especially Iceland, the dulse is eaten in its natural form.

Description: Thin and light red in color, the dulse becomes thicker and darker with age. Its leaves can grow up to 50 cm long and open like the fingers of a hand.

Habitat: It grows on rocks or other algae below sea level in an environment that is liberally mixed by the current. They are seen during high tides when the sea recedes. You can find them on the coasts of Europe. Harvesting takes place from February to July.

Benefits: Rich in beta-carotene, vitamin A, protein, magnesium, calcium, iron and B vitamins (especially B1, B2, B5 and B12), dulse gives you energy and tone.

Use: This very delicate alga can be mixed well with raw vegetables, e.g. B. together with raisins, walnut and hazelnut pieces. In Wales it is traditionally pan fried with onions and mixed with rolled oats.

Despite its violet colour, nori (Porphyra umbilicalis) belongs to the red algae family. The aquaculture of this algae is the oldest algae culture in the world. The nori is sweet, has a nutty flavor and is the most commonly eaten seaweed of our time.

Description: Nori is a very fine seaweed with lobed leaves that can grow up to 60 cm long and is commonly found on the Atlantic coast. Nori aquaculture is the oldest seaweed culture in the world with three centuries of experience in China, Korea and Japan.

Habitat: Grown in Japan, harvested in France (Brittany) and Spain (Galicia), she is found in an environment swayed by the current so-so. The harvest takes place in spring and autumn.

Virtues: This alga is known to combat anemia, hair loss and the appearance of gray hair. It is rich in proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A and B as well as calcium and iodine. It has cholesterol-lowering properties.

Usage: Nori is used to make seaweed sheets for sushi and can be used as a condiment, garnish, in sauces or other vegetables, or raw and shredded in salads.

Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) is a brown seaweed popular in Japan and Korea.

Description: Wakame is a sea plant that can reach a length of up to 50 cm. It lives at a depth of 6 to 12 meters and thrives in water with a temperature between 10 °C and 15 °C. The harvest takes place from March to July, but also from September to December.

Habitat: Wakame is grown extensively in the Far East on floating structures in the open sea. It is the only seaweed currently cultivated in France. It does not come from our coasts, but acclimatizes very well on the Brittany coast. It is grown in the open sea at a depth of 10m in a floating structure inspired by the methods practiced in South Korea.

Virtues: Wakame is rich in plant proteins and calcium. It is one of the best algae for solving calcification problems. It is also very rich in vitamins. It is used to detoxify the body of toxins and heavy metals.

Uses: After a short cooking process to preserve its nutrients, wakame cut into pieces goes perfectly with your soups, fish dishes, seaweed caviar, etc. You can enjoy it as a salad with shrimp or chicken and pair it with crunchy vegetables.