Wakame Seaweed (undaria pinnatifida)

Seaweed is a  Future 50 Food that has been cultivated for centuries by sea farmers in Korea and Japan. It has an alluring deep-green colour, is rich in nutrients and easy to grow. Maintaining similar properties to other seaweeds, it can be harvested all year round, grows rapidly without the use of fertilisers or pesticides and supports the water’s biological balance. Beyond Asia, it is farmed in sea fields in France, New Zealand, California and Argentina. 

In addition to containing a variety of vitamins and minerals, wakame is one of the few plant-based sources of the omega 3 fatty acid EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), which is found mainly fatty fish that feed on algae. Most commonly sold dried and then rehydrated, wakame has a sweet- savoury flavour and satin-like texture. This Future 50 Food can be chopped and added to soups or fried and thrown into salads, stir-fries, and side dishes for a salty, umami addition.