Whether it’s a new exercise or yoga position to try, a new pill to swallow once a day or some organic natural remedy that swears to boost your metabolism to unheard-of potential, there’s always something new to try.
This is probably because losing weight can require a lot of discipline and patience, something that doesn’t come naturally to most humans, myself included.
So we try to find little hacks along the way, different ways to expedite our progress to help us reach that goal weight quicker.
And some of these hacks actually work really well, and others…not so much. Some weight loss tips can actually be downright dangerous for our bodies too.
So it’s always important to do a little research and speak to a medical professional before you try anything too extreme.
But what about sea moss? Are the rumors true? Will it really help you lose those stubborn pounds quicker?
In this article, we’ll have a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly side of this red algae.
What Is Sea Moss?
It’s always good to actually know what you’re consuming before you consume it, right? Sea moss is a type of red seaweed. It tends to be found in the Northern Atlantic coasts.
It can be found across most of Europe and America, though it has a more dense population across Iceland, Canada, and Ireland, in particular.
Why do we care about sea moss? Well, it’s known to be high in carrageenan. And this is used as a thickening agent in many of your cosmetic products as well as some food.
But that’s not all it’s good for. Sea moss contains quite a lot of minerals such as magnesium, iodine, calcium, and iron.
So, so far so good right? It’s full of minerals that are essential for a variety of bodily functions. It also contains practically no calories whatsoever.
In fact, 10 grams of the stuff will cost you only 5 calories in total.
The Good
Sea moss does have the potential to make you lose weight. Now keep in mind that all of the following good attributes are possible but not guaranteed.
But according to research, sea moss does have links with keeping you fuller for longer, increasing your metabolism, and helping increase gut health too.
Feel Fuller For Longer – We spoke earlier about how sea moss is often harvested for its carrageenan. Well, this component also plays a large role in keeping you stuffed and satisfied. This is because the gel-like substance cannot be digested in your stomach and so it takes on the form of soluble fiber. This means it’ll absorb water and increase the rate the food moves through your digestive tract and thus keeping you fuller for longer. The fuller you are, the less food you’re likely to consume, and thus you may lose more weight.
Less Body Fat – Sea moss may actually help prevent you from gaining extra weight. Animal studies have shown that sea moss can lower fat absorption, reduce the number of fat cells, and increase the speed at which you break down stored fat. A similar small study was trialed with humans and the same effects took place too.
Prebiotic Effect – Sea moss contains prebiotics which can help make your gut microbiota much healthier. Healthier microbiota can put you at less risk of obesity.
The Bad
Sea moss may help you lose weight, but there are also some other things to consider when consuming it.
Research Is Lacking – While there is research that does indicate that sea moss could have weight-loss benefits, there isn’t a lot of it. For us to truly understand how sea moss affects our bodies a lot more research needs to be done. A lot of it is currently based around animals rather than humans and group tests that have been done are relatively small and so it is hard to say how reliable they are. There is also a lack of research on many different specific populations. No research has been made on how it would affect those pregnant or breastfeeding, for example.
Side Effects – After consuming sea moss you may find that you experience some pretty uncomfortable or unpleasant symptoms. For example, it can cause a high fever, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. And it doesn’t stop there, it can cause you to feel a burning sensation in a multitude of areas such as the mouth, stomach, and throat.
No Official Recommended Dosage – Due to the lack of research, there isn’t an official recommendation for how much you should or should not be consuming. And as you will see in the next section, this is a major cause for concern considering that over-consumption can lead to poisoning your body.
The Ugly
Poisoning Potential – One of the minerals that sea moss contains is iodine, and it contains a fair amount of it. When humans consume a large amount of iodine it can poison the body. This can lead to several health complications such as goiter, hyper/hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer.
Toxic Metals – Sea moss also has the potential to accumulate toxic metals. Arsenic, lead, and mercury can all be contained within sea moss, and consuming large amounts of any of these toxic metals can have severe and dangerous health complications.
Blood Thinner – If you are taking blood-thinning medication, by no means should you ever consume sea moss. There is evidence that sea moss may contain a powerful anticoagulant. Essentially, consuming sea moss has the potential to thin your blood.
Final Thoughts
I know that a lot of us are desperate to find ways to help us lose weight quickly. I understand it, trust me I’m right there with you.
However, I really wouldn’t recommend the use of sea moss to get you to your goal.
Simply put, the negatives outweigh the positives of the stuff. The research that proves that sea moss will actually make you lose weight is limited and even then there is no guarantee that you will lose weight from doing so.
You can’t ensure that you are taking safe dosages as there isn’t an official recommended dosage as of yet, and there are great risks to your health should you consume too much of it.
If you do decide to start consuming sea moss you should always consult a medical health care professional before doing so.
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