Seaweed salad is a nutritious and healthy condiment originating from Japan. It’s a unique food group that actually falls under the same plant line as algae, and carries a myriad of health benefits. Whether it’s made from the wakame seaweed strain or Alania, this superfood is a powerhouse to add to a sushi dinner, but is it gluten-free?
Seaweed is naturally gluten free. However, seaweed salad is not considered gluten free if it contains soy sauce. Always check the ingredients label or verify at the restaurant when dining out. The best gluten-free alternatives to seaweed salad are Gimme Organic: Sea Salt and Avocado Oil Roasted Seaweed and Lucky Foods Seoul Raw & Healthy: Original Kimchi.
In this article, we are going to look at what seaweed salad is, how healthy it is for you, its gluten content, and what alternatives there are for traditional seaweed salad. We will also look at the nutritional content of the different seaweed brands and their additives. Let’s dig in!
Contents
What is Seaweed Salad?
Seaweed salad is a tangy dish often served as an appetizer at sushi restaurants. It is most traditionally made with an edible seaweed called Goma Wakame, or occasionally is made with Alania seaweed. It is blanched seaweed that is sold fresh or dried for travel. To make this seaweed, the dried seaweed is dipped into water and a variety of sauces and then dipped in sugar.
Seaweed Salad vs Wakame
Wakame is a commonly used ingredient in seaweed salad, but all seaweed salad doesn’t contain wakame. Wakame is a lightly sweet seaweed that is commonly eaten raw or in soups, making it one of the most popular ingredients in seaweed salad. However, other kelp varieties are often used in the absence of wakame.
Is Seaweed Salad Healthy?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag. Natural seaweed salad is very healthy, due to the number of nutrients that seaweed has. While it does contain quite a bit of sugar, the amount of vitamins really benefits your body and it has a very low amount of unhealthy fat. Processed seaweed salad is often frozen and bought in bulk. This processing includes a lot of preservatives, thickeners, and food dyes that decrease the nutritional value.
Food Dyes
While food dyes aren’t actively dangerous, it’s far from healthy. Not only does it have an adverse effect on children with sensitivity to the dyes, but there are studies linking physical ailments. The safety of these materials has been debated for decades. Animal studies have shown that high doses of food dyes can lead to organ damage, and in humans, behavioral issues.
Preservatives
Chemicals are nothing to be afraid of, but artificial colors and flavors and BHT should be avoided if possible. BHT is potentially carcinogenic, which has adverse effects on hormones and other bodily functions. Another big issue with the presence of preservatives is that it indicates that the food is too processed and sugary.
Thickeners
Thickeners can be unhealthy depending on other aspects of your diet. This ingredient should be avoided by those with gastrointestinal issues, especially those with IBS. These are used to emulsify food, and its found in a lot of soups and sauces that would be in processed seaweed salad.
Gluten-Free Additives in Seaweed Salad
Sashimi
One of the most popular additives for seaweed salad is sashimi, and it’s a perfect addition for people with dietary restrictions. It’s high in protein, low in unhealthy fats, and adds a fresh bite to the umami seaweed salad. The only thing that you do have to check is making sure it is not a marinated piece of sashimi, as it most likely will be marinated in soy sauce.
Fruits
Fruits like mangos, pineapples, and other tangy fruits pair perfectly with the salty flavors in seaweed salad. They also will lack gluten while giving you the essentials: carbohydrates and natural sugars.
Vegetables
Natural vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and other greens really bring out some freshness in this delicious traditional salad. It will also provide you with more nutrients and will be guaranteed gluten-free.
Seaweed Salad Nutrition Information
Azuma Seaweed Salad
Azuma’s Seaweed Salad is a healthy, premade seaweed salad that you can take on the go. This seaweed salad is gluten-free, HFCS-free, soy-free, cholesterol-free, and vegetarian. It has a pretty long shelf life of a month, a tamper-free container, and can be frozen for future use.
Nutrition Facts (Per 57g):
- 35 Calories
- 3g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 135mg Sodium
- 3g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Dietary Fiber
- 3g Sugars
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Seaweed
- Agar-Agar
- Sesame Seed
- Sesame Oil
- Kikurage Mushroom
- Sugar
- Rice Vinegar
- Salt
- Red Pepper
- Disodium 5-Inosinate
- Disodium 5-Guanylate
- Yellow 5
- Blue 1
- Potassium Sorbate
Atlantic Sea Farms: Fermented Seaweed Salad
This fermented seaweed salad is a little salty, a little sour, and packed full of delicious and complex flavors. This seaweed is free from unnatural dyes and treatments, to keep the nutrients of the organic seaweed inside. This brand is domestically owned and sustainably harvested. It can be eaten on its own, in poke bowls, and as a topping.
Nutrition Facts (Per 57g):
- 30 Calories
- 1g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 450mg Sodium
- 5g Total Carbohydrates
- 2g Fiber
- 2g Total Sugars
- 2g Added Sugars
- 1g Protein
Ingredients:
- Blanched Kelp
- Vegan Kimchi Juice
- Sugar
- Ginger
- Salt
- Scallions
- Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds
- Onion
- Tamari
Bento Express: Seaweed Salad
This ready-to-eat seaweed salad is available for bento boxes, a cute new lunch trend that originated in Japan. This is one of the closest alternatives in taste that you would see in restaurants, using a majority of the same ingredients, while still able to take it on the go.
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Package):
- 20 Calories
- 4g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 640mg Sodium
- 15g Total Carbohydrates
- 3g Dietary Fiber
- 9g Sugars
- 1g Protein
Ingredients:
- Seaweed
- Agar-Agar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Kikurage Mushrooms
- Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds
- Vinegar
- Tapioca Syrup
- Trehalose
- Chili Oil
- Red Pepper
- Yellow 5
- Blue 1
Alternatives to Seaweed Salad
Gimme Organic: Sea Salt and Avocado Oil Roasted Seaweed
Gimme Organic sea salt and avocado oil roasted seaweed gives us the savory taste of seaweed with the salty umami of a chip. It is organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan, making it perfect for snacking with dietary restrictions. It can be eaten as it is or used as an additive for other tasty dishes.
Nutrition Facts (Per 4.5g):
- 25 Calories
- 2g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 55mg Sodium
- 1g Total Carbohydrates
- 1g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 1g Protein
Ingredients:
- Organic Seaweed
- Organic Avocado Oil
- Sea Salt
Gimme Organic: Teriyaki Roasted Seaweed
Gimme Organic teriyaki roasted seaweed is nutritious while still giving us the savory and crunchy taste of roasted seaweed. This seaweed is gluten-free, vegan, USDA organic, and non-GMO, making it more accessible for someone with dietary restrictions. These are a perfect snack to add to some ramen noodles or just eat by themselves.
Nutrition Facts (Per 5g):
- 25 Calories
- 20 Calories from Fat
- 2g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 55mg Sodium
- 1g Total Carbohydrates
- 1g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Sugars
- 1g Protein
Ingredients:
- Organic Seaweed
- Organic Sesame Oil
- Organic Sunflower Oil
- Organic Teriyaki Powder
- Organic Maltodextrin
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Organic Onion
- Organic Garlic
Lucky Foods Seoul Raw & Healthy: Original Kimchi
Seoul’s Raw and Healthy Kimchi is made-to-order, and it shows in their high quality and organic kimchi. They’ve been making fermented healthy foods since the 1980s, and the longer that it is in your fridge, the bolder the flavor gets. The original kimchi is gluten-free, MSG-free, and Non-GMO certified, making it a worthy side to any dish.
Nutrition Facts (Per 28g):
- 15 Calories
- 0g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 280mg Sodium
- 3g Total Carbohydrates
- 1g Dietary Fiber
- 1g Total Sugars
- 1g Added Sugars
- 1g Protein
Ingredients:
- Napa Cabbage
- Chili Pepper
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Green Onion
- Cane Sugar
- Onion
- Salted Baby Shrimp
- Sea Salt
- Ginger
- Anchovy Extract
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, seaweed salad can be made gluten-free as long as you make sure to be careful with the additives. Trying to avoid gluten-filled sauces will make the experience a lot easier, and adding gluten-free additives will make the meal much more filling.
Related Questions
Does Seaweed Salad Help With Digestive Issues?
Yes! Seaweed is full of prebiotics that will help with digestion. Specifically, they are rich in polysaccharides that will help keep you regular with consumption. you can see polysaccharides in other foods such as root vegetables as well.
Is Seaweed Salad Paleo-Friendly?
Seaweed Salad is paleo-friendly whenever it is soy-free. The presence of additives such as soy sauce can make a difference when determining whether seaweed salad is safe for paleo diets. In general, if you want to make a seaweed salad on a paleo diet, it is best to avoid any prepackaged versions as they may contain processing chemicals and other unnatural ingredients.
Is Seaweed Salad Vegan?
Most forms of seaweed salad are vegan, as it only contains sauces, sesame seeds, and a type of seaweed. Popular additives such as sashimi, however, should be avoided as they aren’t vegan.