| Overview of Sea Vegetable Chemical Composition
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| Seavegetables are algae that come mainly from marine environments but also come from freshwater environments. They are distributed along the coasts of all oceans. They include micro algae [e.g. Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella, etc.] and macro algae [Green, Red & Brown]. Their sizes range from microscopic to over 25 m. They have no defined structures such as those typical of land plants [e.g. roots, trunk, leaves] so each cell exchanges nutrients with the seawater. Most are attached to substrates but some are free-floating [e.g. Sargasso Sea]. Sea vegetables became adapted to the ocea by producing unique chemical compounds not found in land plants or animals. Some of these compounds are bioactive with terrestrial plants or animals. |
| General composition: |
| MACRO COMPONENTS
|
| Proteins: up to 40 % |
| Lipids: up to 5 %, generally about 2%, high in PUFA |
| Carbohydrates: Soluble fiber [agar, carrageenan & alginate] up to 50 % |
| Insoluble fiber: [cellulose, xylans & others] 2 to 8 % |
| Oligosaccharides, sugars & sugar alcohols: up to 20% |
| Minerals: up to 36 % – Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Na, K, & Cl.
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| MICRO COMPONENTS
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| Essential oligoelements: Zn, Cu, Mn, I, Se, Mo & Cr |
| Free Amino Acids: All essential AA generally present |
| Vitamins: A, B complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, & Folic Acid), C, & E |
| Carotenoids
:
several present
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|
| Sea Vegetables Comparative Composition |
LAMINARIA
American
|
LAMINARIA
Japanese
|
GRACILARIA
|
ULVA
|
| MACRO COMPONENTS/100g
|
|
|
|
|
| Proteins g
|
16
|
19
|
11
|
24
|
| Lipids g
|
02
|
04
|
03
|
01
|
| Carbohydrates g
|
39
|
56
|
54
|
47
|
| Total ash g
|
n d
|
28
|
17
|
14
|
| Energy cal
|
240
|
n d
|
191
|
213
|
| MINERALS/100 g
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|
|
|
|
| Sodium mg
|
4,460
|
3,100
|
5,340
|
3,420
|
| Potassium mg
|
11,200
|
12,680
|
n d
|
n d
|
| Calcium mg
|
940
|
880
|
4,100
|
730
|
| Magnesium mg
|
900
|
760
|
n d
|
n d
|
| Phosphorus mg
|
425
|
220
|
6,000
|
n d
|
| Iron mg
|
42.6
|
43
|
21.8
|
87
|
| OLIGOELEMENTS/100 g
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|
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|
| Iodine mg
|
144.0
|
670
|
31
|
26
|
| Copper mg
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.8
|
n d
|
| Manganese mg
|
1.2
|
0.4
|
n d
|
n d
|
| Chromium mg
|
0.2
|
n d
|
0.6
|
n d
|
| Zinc mg
|
2.9
|
0.1
|
4.1
|
n d
|
| VITAMINS/100 g
|
|
|
|
|
| A Retinal I U
|
560
|
430
|
n d
|
960
|
| B1 Thiamin mg
|
0.6
|
0.1
|
0.4
|
0.06
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| B2 Riboflavin mg
|
2.5
|
0.5
|
0.4
|
0.03
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| B3 Niacin mg
|
3.6
|
1.6
|
n d
|
8.0
|
| B6 Pyridoxine mg
|
8.6
|
0.3
|
n d
|
n a
|
| B12 Cobalamin mg
|
2.6
|
3.0
|
14.4
|
6.3
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| Folic Acid Pteroylglutamic acid mg
|
n d
|
0.1
|
2.8
|
11.8
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| C Ascorbic acid mg
|
4.2
|
28
|
1.1
|
10.0
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| E Tocopherol I U
|
2.7
|
n d
|
n d
|
n d
|
|
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| Carbohydrate Composition
|
RED
|
GREEN |
BROWN |
| Insoluble Fibers
|
Cellulose
|
Cellulose
|
Cellulose |
|
|
Xylans
|
Xylans
|
|
|
|
Mannans
|
Mannans
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|
| Soluble Fibers
|
Agar
|
Hetero-complex
|
Alginate |
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Carrageenans
|
Charged/neutral
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Fucoidan |
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Carragars
|
|
|
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Sulfated Xylans
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Others
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| Storage
|
Floridean starch
|
Starch
|
Laminaran |
| Low Mol. Weight
|
Floridoside
|
? ? ?
|
Mannitol |
|
|
Iso-Floridoside
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Sorbitol
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| Protein Composition |
RED |
GREEN
|
BROWN
|
ovalbumin
|
| Porphyra |
Ulva
|
Undaria
|
|
| Tryptophan
|
1.3 |
0.3
|
0.8
|
1.0
|
| Lysine
|
4.5 |
4.5
|
4.3
|
7.7
|
| Histidine
|
1.4
|
4.0
|
2.7
|
4.1
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| Arginine
|
16.4
|
14.9
|
7.5
|
11.7
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| |
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