Mineral deficiency continues to show up on my desk. As I delve deeper into the theory of acid/alkaline balance, gut health, cognitive function, even the health of our skin and bones, proper mineral balance looms in the background as a very important, yet very underrated variable for creating vibrant health.

Hello glorious sea vegetables! Why? First because sea vegetables (or seaweeds) offers us the broadest range of minerals in any food, including calcium, iron and iodine, which help balance hormone and thyroid levels and every other bodily function. Secondly, that our bodies process whole-food nutrition so much more readily than pill-form supplementation, sea vegetables offer us a broad range of minerals and all its cofactors in a whole food form. I advocate whole foods nutrition precisely because each food that we choose to eat offers a specific set of co-factors and enzymes that work synergistically with the the vitamins, phytochemicals and minerals of that food. And in this case, the minerals in sea vegetables are more bioavailable because of the high concentrations of Vitamin C and Vitamins B1 and B2.

In Chinese medicine, sea vegetables correlate to the winter season and to the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder and reproductive organs. The strengthening, balancing and cleansing properties of sea vegetables are known to help these organs as well as the hair, skin and nails.  Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings. Here is one very easy go-to recipe that I lean on quite regularly, simply put, because it is so easy and so nutritious! But do please note that there are endless ways that you can use sea vegetables every day. One other very easy way is to stock kelp, nori or another sea vegetable in flake form, to season and nutritionally fortify any dish you serve!

Mighty Miso Soup

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

4-5 cups spring water

1-2 inch strip of wakame, rinsed and soaked 5 minutes in 1 cup of water until softened

1-2 cups thinly sliced vegetables of your choice (see notes)

2-3 teaspoons barley miso (add more or less to your palate).

2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:

1.  Chop soaked wakame.

2. Discard soaking water or use on houseplants for a boost of minerals (your plants will love it!).

3. Place water and wakame in a soup pot and bring to a boil.

4. Add root vegetables first and simmer lightly (maintain firmness for nutritional value).

5. Add leafy vegetables and simmer for 2-3 minutes (leave firm again, to maintain nutritional value).

6. Remove about 1/2 cup of liquid from pot and dissolve miso into it. Return it to the pot.

7. Reduce heat to very low; do not boil or simmer miso broth (you will destroy the gut-promoting enzymes and healthy bacteria).

8. Allow soup to cook 2-3 minutes.

9. Garnish with scallions and serve.

Note:

Any combination of vegetables can be used in miso soup. Here are some classic combinations:

• onion-daikon: cleansing
• onion-carrot-shiitake mushroom-kale: mildly sweet
• onion-winter squash-cabbage: great in wintertime
• leek-corn-broccoli: great in summertime

Variations:

• Add a tablespoon of uncooked quinoa or millet at the beginning and let it cook with vegetables for 20 minutes.
• Add bean sprouts toward the end.
• Season with 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice for an interesting twist.

Enjoy!