An EU-funded project investigating the high-end nutritional
content of seaweed says antioxidant extraction potential is high
– with some seaweed forms offering better bioavailability than
others. Speaking with us, SWAFAX project leader Ian Rowland,
said two studies had been completed that showed certain extracts
contained high levels of antioxidant polyphenols. “Land plants
have all these polyphenols in them but seaweeds have never
really been studied for their antioxidant potential – so we are
looking at that and the results are very encouraging,” said
Rowland, the director of research and head of the Hugh Sinclair
Unit of Human Nutrition at Reading University. “One of the most
important things with polyphenols whether they are from seaweeds
or land plants is how easily they are absorbed in the body.”
Ascophyllum seaweed had shown the best potential in this area.
“The antioxidant content can be up to 15% of the weight of the
seaweed,” Rowland said. “Some of them are similar to land plants
but not all of them