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Alginic Acid
Brown seaweed produces alginic acid, also knowns as algin or alginate. This compound is capable of absorbing 200 to 300 times it's own weight in water. It forms a viscous gum used in industrial processes and food production. In textile printing, the alginate is used as a thickener for the paste containing the dye. Used in food as a thickener or for it's gelling properties, it can be found in sauces, syrups, pie fillings, cake mixes and canned meats. It is used medicinally in wound dressings and as a dissolving agent for drugs.
Agar
Red seaweeds produce agar, a polysaccharide that accumulates in the cell walls of the plant. It is used primarily as a gelatin in food. It can also be used in laboratory settings as a culture medium to support the growth of cells in experiments. Made up of 80 percent fiber, it is an excellent laxative agent. Agar is washed and dried and sold in strips for cooking purposes to make jellies, puddings and custards. In Asian cuisine, it is a popular and commonly-seen food product.
Carrageenan
Also found in red seaweed and similar to alginate and agar, carrageenan has gelling and thickening properties. Carrageenan is unique in its large molecular structure that curls into a helix shape, giving it the ability to form different gels at different temperatures. Used as a stabilizer and binding agent in toothpaste, carrageenan is also found as a suspension gel in room air fresheners and is implemented in pet foods to bind water and prevent fat separation. Applications in weight loss products, pharmaceutical uses as a binder, and even a natural personal lubricant product, carrageenan is found in a vast number of our daily products.
Food Substances
Seaweed in its whole form is considered a health food and, according to The Seaweed Site, until recently accounted for 10 percent of the Japanese diet. The seaweed used is primarily Nori, a red seaweed, but brown and green seaweeds are used as well. Seaweed contains a high amount of protein, and various types have other nutritional benefits. Powdered or dried in strips and added to foods or to wrap things such as sushi and fish, seaweed is considered a whole green food and an excellent addition to the nutritional diet. Care should be taken in ingesting large amounts of seaweed, as it contains iodine which can cause illness.