Snacks are a big thing, both for adults and kids. Children eat snacks constantly – on the way to school, after getting home from school, while watching a movie, or on road trips. As we all know, there are both healthy snacks and unhealthy snacks.
Snacks can be used as an excellent opportunity to add more nutrition to your kid’s diet. Eating seaweeds like Nori has been a growing trend, and its often marketed as a healthy and nutritious food. As a parent, you’ve probably wondered if Nori is safe for your kids. And the answer is – yes, Nori is natural and free from nasty additives, making it an excellent snack for kids!
Nori is loaded with vitamins as well as iodine. It’s also a great source of lean protein, which helps kids develop healthy bones and strong muscles. Children need healthy snacks for energy and growth, and Nori provides immense health benefits that you just can’t ignore.
Read on to find out fourteen reasons why Nori makes a perfect snack for kids!
1. Improves Concentration
You’ve undoubtedly heard about many “brain foods” like salmon, blueberries, pomegranates, and dark chocolate, but what about Nori? Sea vegetables like Nori are probably one of the most neglected superfoods for the brain in the Western world.
Seaweed contains a variety of compounds essential for the brain in the form of minerals and vitamins. Nori is also a source of unique antioxidants that are considered to be neuroprotective. It also contains inositol and choline, both of which are needed for communication between brain cells.
Nori indeed lives up to its name of “brain superfood,” so it’s a great snack to keep your kid’s mind sharp and focused.
2. Boosts Energy
Children are often very active, so they need a constant supply of energy. Seaweed contains loads of iron that supply their bodies with energy from playtime to bedtime.
How does iron in Nori keep kids full of energy? The body uses this essential nutrient to produce hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. It also nourishes the circulatory system and improves blood flow to tissues.
Indeed, iron is essential to children. A lack of iron can cause fatigue, poor concentration, and frequent illness, leading to iron deficiency and anemia.
3. Good for Dental Health
Snacks typically consist of sugary ingredients that gnaw away at your kid’s teeth. Tooth decay and cavities from plaque buildup are common pains of childhood. So, finding snacks that are good for the teeth is essential. Fortunately, Nori is a snack that is great for dental health.
Scientists have discovered that enzymes on the surface of seaweed fight and help get rid of plaque from teeth and gums. Nori also provides vitamin A, an essential nutrient in keeping your gums healthy and building tooth enamel. In addition, Nori is also extremely rich in calcium, an important mineral that strengthens your tooth enamel.
So, Nori is an ideal snack to help keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy.
4. Provides Essential Nutrients
It’s no question that kids are constantly growing and developing. Children need a lot of nutrients to be healthy but have small stomachs. That’s one reason kids love to snack so much. But, unfortunately, most snacks don’t consist of the beneficial ingredients they need.
Are you making sure that each bite contributes to your child’s intake of nutrition? If so, Nori should definitely be on your list when shopping for healthy snacks. Nori is high in vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and all the other essential minerals necessary for normal growth and development. It’s the all-in-one package you don’t want to miss!
5. Supports Good Eyesight
In today’s world, children spend more and more time in front of screens, yielding to poor eyesight. Foods that give eye power have never been more critical. By letting your kids have Nori as a snack, you are also helping their vision.
The vitamin A found in Nori makes it an ideal solution for eyesight problems. Vitamin A works as an antioxidant, preventing free radicals from damaging eye tissues and causing macular degeneration.
6. Helps Build Strong Bones
Believe it or not, seaweeds are one of the best veggies for strong, healthy bones. This is because seaweeds like Nori have 10-20 times more bone-strengthening minerals than land plants.
Milk has always been hailed as the source of calcium – the drink that is so essential for growing bones. However, these ocean-harvested greens have almost ten times more calcium than milk does! And, unlike milk, seaweed also has the complete list of trace minerals your child’s body needs for strong bones.
7. Assists the Immune System
We all want to ensure that our children’s immune systems are strong and healthy, as a robust immune system is vital to protecting against viruses. With the rise of new viruses, it’s more than essential to make sure that our kids’ immune systems are working and ready to fight!
Research has shown that seaweed like Nori builds immunity naturally, as it contains incredible amounts of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, zinc, and iodine are three vitamins and minerals that Nori uses to fight off unwanted invaders!
8. Keeps Heart Healthy
The benefits of having seaweed as a snack don’t stop here. So, let’s explore further!
Seaweed is one of those fantastic foods that are good for the heart. These weeds contain several heart-healthy compounds, such as ACE inhibitors, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. So regularly eating seaweed and enjoying Nori snacks is a great way to keep the heart strong and healthy.
9. Great For Digestive Health
Seaweeds like Nori are rich in dietary fiber, which is known to promote digestive health. Fiber can make up about 25-74 % of seaweed’s dry weight. Compared to most fruits and vegetables, this level is considerably high!
Fiber is an essential nutrient for children, as well as adults. It provides plenty of health benefits by regulating bowel movements and preventing constipation.
10. Supports Clear Skin
Seaweed has long been associated with beauty. Bathed in a rich source of nutrients, seaweed has created waves in the global beauty industry. Eating Nori can also give you and your children smoother, healthier, and more beautiful skin.
While Nori’s anti-inflammatory properties prevent acne, its detoxifying power brightens skin by removing toxins and heavy metals from the body. Furthermore, the nutrients in Nori fight cellulite and hydrate skin, maintaining youthful-looking skin.
11. Best Natural Source of Iodine
Nori is one of the best natural sources of iodine. In fact, a single sheet of Nori can fulfill up to 30% of the daily requirement of iodine.
Iodine is a highly essential nutrient that the body needs to control metabolism and many other vital functions. Children must receive iodine in their diet because the body cannot make this nutrient on its own.
Iodine is essential to kids because it helps turn food into energy and keeps the thyroid gland functioning properly. Having enough iodine intake helps prevent abnormalities such as hypothyroidism and abnormal weight gain.
12. Helps in the Formation of Blood Clots
Kids tend to fall often and get cuts and scrapes. No one’s happy when a child scrapes their knee and starts bleeding. Here is where Nori steps in with vitamin K.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble nutrient that communicates with platelets, the cells that form blood clots. Whenever there is an injury, Vitamin K sends a signal, summoning platelets to gather together to form a blood clot. When blood clots, the bleeding stops.
13. Aids in Preventing Infection
Seaweed is antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory, so it’s ideal for warding off nasty infections and allergies. On top of that, Nori’s properties help prevent skin inflammation and keep itchiness away!
14. Helps Stay Fuller Longer
Are your kids asking for food every few minutes, especially after they’ve just finished eating? It’s a frustrating reality for many parents. But what’s causing your child to be so hungry all the time?
A huge possibility is that they are not eating food that really fills them up. Typical snacks such as chips, pretzels, or cookies simply do not provide much staying power, leaving kids moaning for food sooner.
Making sure that kids stay full is important, so they can focus on learning rather than on their hungry, growling tummies! Are you looking for a snack that satisfies hunger? Nori is a great idea!
You see, Nori is one of the powerhouses of dietary fiber. Foods high in fiber not only add bulk to a meal but also slow digestion, making your child’s tummy feel full for longer. Similar to vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, Nori is also an excellent source of fiber.
In short
Kids eating junk food and sweets as snacks have been the norm. But your kids deserve to eat the healthiest foods on the planet. Seaweed is an exotic snack that will help your child grow and develop both physically and mentally. So, next time your little one is hungry for a snack, don’t hesitate to reach into a bag of Nori!
This article was co-authored by our team of writers and editors who share one thing in common: their passion for food and drinks!
JC Franco
JC Franco works as a New York-based editor at Foodrinke, driven by his lifelong love for food. His culinary journey began in childhood, as he eagerly assisted his mother with her local sandwich and bakery business, relishing every opportunity to sample her creations. Known among family and friends as an easy eater, JC has a particular affinity for Chinese, Italian, Mexican, and Peruvian cuisine. At Foodrinke, he channels his passion for food into his work, sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with readers.