Clearspring Japanese Agar Flakes 28g

Clearspring Agar Flakes, known as "kanten" in Japanese, are a high quality vegetarian alternative to gelatine for making desserts, jellies and aspics. They are traditionally made from sea plants in Japan. They have a neutral flavour and are free from any bleaching chemical or softening agents.

Nowadays, almost all commercial agar-agar is made using sulphuric acid to dissolve the starches, and chemical bleaches and dyes to neutralise the colour and flavour of the sea plants. However, a few small craft producers, such as the family who make Clearspring Agar Flakes, still use the traditional slow method.

All of the 56 elements essential for human health are present in sea vegetables, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, iron, and zinc, together with important trace elements such as selenium that are often lacking in land vegetables due to soil demineralisation.

What is more, the minerals in sea vegetables exist in a chelated, colloidal form that makes them readily 'bioavailable' for use in crucial bodily functions. Population studies show that people with a regular intake of sea vegetables show few symptoms of mineral depletion and the longevity of the people of Okinawa is believed to be due to their regular consumption of sea vegetables.

Sea vegetables have traditionally been consumed in moderate amounts and on a regular basis to provide a balanced intake of minerals. For example, kombuis a good source of iodine, which is necessary for proper thyroid function and is of general benefit to health, but a few people with sensitive thyroids may have an adverse reaction to excess iodine, and for this reason kombu should not be consumed in excess.

Over the last few decades, medical researchers have discovered that a diet rich in sea vegetables reduces the risk of some diseases and helps the body eliminate dangerous toxins.

If you're watching your weight, sea vegetables could be a useful addition to your diet. They are high in fibre, contain next to no calories and provide a good balance of essential minerals.

Digestive Health Nutrients in sea vegetables appear to cleanse the colon and improve digestion and absorption. Scientists at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne have found that alginate, the sticky starch present in brown sea vegetables, can strengthen gut mucus, slow down digestion and make food release its energy more slowly.

In another study comparing the faecal flora resulting from the Japanese diet with the Western diet, significantly greater numbers of beneficial oxygen-loving (aerobic) organisms were found to derive from the Japanese diet. This is believed to be due to the antibiotic activity of sea vegetables, which destroys harmful anaerobic bacteria.

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