ooster foods are an alluring and often misunderstood food group. Why eat seaweed and nutritional yeast? What is the difference between raw honey and the kind mostly seen on grocery shelves? Why is unrefined sea salt better than regular table salt? These foods offer a powerhouse of nutritional benefits and can easily be added to any recipe.

Sea Vegetables

Seaweed, also known as sea vegetable, possesses most major minerals required by the body. It contains large quantities of calcium and phosphorous, as well as magnesium, iron, iodine, and sodium. Most seaweed comes dried, so start with a nice assortment and add a few pieces to soups and stews. Seaweed can act as a thickening agent and can actually be a substitute for salt.

Kelp, usually available in flake form and often used to flavor soups and foods, offers vitamins and minerals similar to other sea vegetables. Although most Westerners are not deficient in iodine, found in seaweed, kelp may help people with a sluggish thyroid. Sprinkle a little dried kelp on cooked foods. Not sure you’ll like the taste—buy flavored kelp.

	Nerve cells use salt to communicate and process information.

Unrefined Sea Salt

If you are using white salt, it’s probably void of nutrients—with the exception of manufacturer’s added components. Natural, unrefined, unprocessed sea salt is the way to go. It’s easy to find (even finely granulated) and though an even application may take some getting used to, the flavor is amazing. And with sea salt, less is more, so you get more bang for your buck.

Raw Honey

The processed honey usually found in your local supermarket is filtered, which removes the pollen and beeswax—the qualities that give honey its flavor—and heated to 160 degrees, removing beneficial enzymes. Raw honey, however, in its unheated, pure, unpasteurized, unprocessed state, should be on the top of everyone’s “can’t live without” list. You can find a variety of local raw honeys—such as Orange Blossom, Buckwheat, and Bamboo—each providing a different experience to the senses. Raw honey is an amazing natural gift.

Some Interesting Facts about Raw Honey:

• It’s rumored to possess allergy-relieving properties.
• With its inherent amylase enzyme, raw honey can predigest starchy foods and relieve acid indigestion.
• It becomes alkaline in the digestive system and it doesn’t ferment in the stomach.
• When mixed with ginger and lemon juices, it can relieve nausea and supply energy.

Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is a supplement that provides vitamin B, protein, and beta-glucans, which reduce blood lipid levels. It is also one of the only non-meat sources of B12. Because many vegetarians are often deficient in B12, nutritional yeast is an especially good supplement for them. It is great in soups, stews, mashed yams, and smoothies, and it can be sprinkled on just about anything!