Sea moss: super food or just another health hype? 海藻：超級食物還是健康概念炒作？

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Sea moss: super food or just another health hype?

海藻：超級食物還是健康概念炒作？

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Is sea moss just another health fad? Some people claim it helps with any number of things from glowing skin to weight loss, and are flocking to buy it in gels, gummies, powders and capsules.

海藻僅是又一個健康飲食熱潮嗎？一些人稱海藻具有許多功效，比如能使人的皮膚煥發光彩或減輕體重，並且爭先恐後地購買海藻制成的凝膠、軟糖、粉末和膠囊。

Sometimes called Irish moss, sea moss is a red seaweed found mostly along the Atlantic coasts.

這種海藻也被稱為 “愛爾蘭海藻”，它是一種紅色的海藻，主要生長在大西洋沿岸。

People have been harvesting it for centuries. It’s commonly used as a thickener and gelling agent in processed foods like ice cream and chocolate milk.

幾個世紀以來人們一直在采收這種海藻。它被作為一種增稠劑和膠凝劑而廣泛應用於加工食品中，比如冰激凌和巧克力奶。

Sea moss is packed with good stuff like iron, magnesium, fibre, and vitamins including A and C.

海藻富含多種有益成分，如鐵、鎂、纖維以及多種維生素，包括維生素 A 和維生素 C。

But nutritionists say there’s little evidence to suggest sea moss should be called a superfood.

但營養學傢表示，現有的證據很難證明海藻可以被稱為一種超級食物。

Some early research has been done. One study on rats found that sea moss helps increase beneficial gut bacteria. But more testing is needed on humans.

科學傢已經完成瞭一些對海藻的初步研究。一項在老鼠身上進行的研究發現海藻能幫助提升老鼠腸道益生菌的數量。但要得出結論尚需更多的人體試驗。

There are a few risks too – sea moss has high levels of iodine, which can cause thyroid problems if you have too much, especially for pregnant women or elderly people.

食用海藻也會帶來一些健康風險。海藻含有大量的碘，而食用過多的碘可能會引起甲狀腺問題，特別是對孕婦和老年人來說。

And like other seaweed, it can also absorb small amounts of heavy metals from the water depending on where it grows.

並且和其它海藻一樣，這種海藻也會從生長環境中吸收少量的重金屬。

That could include arsenic, mercury, or lead, which might be harmful if they build up in your body over time.

其中可能包括砷、汞或鉛，這些元素如果長期在體內積累就可能會對健康造成損害。

The advice from health professionals – sea moss is generally fine to eat for most people, but it shouldn’t replace a varied diet.

來自健康專業人士的建議是，大多數人通常可以正常食用海藻，但它不應取代多樣化的飲食結構。