Seaweed, which Japanese people routinely enjoy as a food, has recently drawn attention as a food of the future.

Called a superfood by the health- and beauty-conscious, seaweed is low in calories but packed with fiber, minerals, vitamins, protein, antioxidants, and umami flavor. Although not a traditional food item in these regions, it can now be found in organic groceries in Europe and North America. In just over 20 years, the world’s seaweed consumption has nearly tripled.

Seaweed is inexpensive, requires no fertilizer or agricultural chemicals, and can be harvested year-round. It was named among the Future 50 Foods, a list compiled by the WWF UK in collaboration with Knorr, a food products brand. As the world’s population continues to grow, seaweed is expected to play a growing role in food security. Research has also begun on finding ways to use it as an alternative to meat—to produce, for example, seaweed that tastes like bacon.

As an ocean plant, seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, just as plants do on land. In a report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), whereas carbon dioxide absorbed by forests on land is called “green carbon,” carbon dioxide absorbed in marine ecosystems, e.g., by seaweed, is referred to as “blue carbon.” Hopes are high that blue carbon will help put the brakes on global warming. Seaweed, which accounts for nearly half the oxygen production in the ocean, has been called both a guardian of and restorative agent for marine ecosystems. It plays a key role in Sustainable Development Goal No. 14, “Life Below Water.”

Seaweed harvested as food in various regions in Japan, which have long histories of diverse seaweed cultures, is gathered and formed into pressed leaves. The flowing forms are reminiscent of how seaweed lives and grows at the will of the waves, how it swings and sways. Its translucent color in light has a striking beauty. We hope this window will inspire you to begin thinking about a prosperous future that involves seaweed.

Yasuko Sato