TikTok Weight Loss

TikTok ushers in the new, miracle weight loss solution – Sea Moss. Videos, health influencers, even celebrities (surprise, even Kardashian) are touting the weight loss trend, “Eat Moss For Weight Loss!”. Just like any new ingredient, it has a whole lot of tradition, some logic, and a bit of research/science, the prefect recipe for a potent, powerful weight loss elixir. And seeing how 75% of us are overweight, I guess it’s fair to say we could stand to lose a few pounds. We always knew there were wonders under the sea…let find out if it’s true..

Eat Moss For Weight Loss

Q: What is Sea Moss?

A: it’s seaweed. Mostly found on the North Atlantic coast, it’s an edible sea plant similar to algae and kelp. Sea Moss has a long history of use for nutrition and medicinal benefits, over 1,000’s of years in Eastern and European cultures, for gut and heart health, immunity, and skin care. 

Q: Is it new to the U.S.?

A: Not really, even though we haven’t been eating Sea Moss, we’ve been exposed and consuming its main nutrient – Carrageenan. Carrageenan is a thickening agent used in foods like ice cream, cottage cheese, milks, all sorts of foods, it’s also used in many skin care products. 

Q: What makes Sea Moss so great?

A: Sea Moss is rich in soluble fiber, Carrageenan, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, specifically Iodine. It’s naturally low in calories, fat, sugar, has a bit of protein, and decent amount of Fiber and minerals, those are big wins for a health food. 

Q: Why does it help with weight loss?

A: There has been limited studies on this topic, but one with 78 obese adults showed significant weight loss with 1g per day. Study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7469045/. It’s important to note that the study was done on SeaWeed, not SeaMoss, but it’s felt the benefits would translate. But the main reason for weight loss was the fiber and Iodine consumption.

Q: How does Fiber help with Weight Loss?

A: Fiber is terrific for weight loss. Sea Moss contains Carrageenan, a type of fiber (soluble) that is not broken down by the body and forms a gel-like substance in your body. Carrageen slows digestion, causing you to feel full quicker and longer, therefore reducing calorie/food intake. Fiber also helps with reducing blood sugar spikes, regulating insulin and fat storage. Fiber is also a detoxifier, removing waste and reducing inflammation. 

Q: How does Iodine help with weight loss?

A: Iodine supports healthy thyroid function, which regulates metabolism and manages fat storage. Iodine absorption is blocked by many types of chemicals in our foods and other nutrients, so iodine deficiency can become a problem, causing weight gain. 

Q: Any dangers?

A: Yes. A few things to remember. One, as with any nature based plant, the nutritional values can vary and there is no standardization of the vitamins and minerals. The fiber, Carrageen you can count on, but much of the micronutrient content depend on environment. Two, be careful of the amount of Iodine, too much can lead to an underactive thyroid, also there may be some risk of heavy metals, sea plants are known to store heavy metals in large amounts. You should be safe if you consume sea moss in moderation. 

Q: Any best brands or sources?

A: I haven’t tried any. If I did, I’d make sure it was tested for heavy metal content. They should all be “wild/organic” anyway, so that doesn’t matter, and I’d choose raw form (plant) instead of capsules. You just can’t get enough in capsules. In my opinion, Sea Moss benefits are mostly due to the fiber, and there are other better tasting, inexpensive, and easier to use sources. I aim to get 40-50g of fiber in my diet from vegetables, healthy grains/seeds, and whole food fiber powder (Garden Of Life Organic Raw Fiber).