Hijiki

Sargassum fusiforme

seaweed

A brown seaweed in black sprigs, like little noodles, from Japanese, Korean and Chinese cooking; dried, to be rehydrated. It provides fucoxanthin and seaweed polysaccharides.

Origin

Coasts of Japan and Korea

Season (United States)

imported · all year round

Preparation

Several food safety agencies — British, Canadian, Australian — advise against eating it: hijiki concentrates inorganic arsenic far more than other seaweeds, and soaking removes only part of it. Other brown seaweeds do not have this flaw: wakame, kombu and arame give the same minerals without the caveat. Salty by nature: a rinse, or a short soak, takes some of it out.

Molecules

Seaweed polysaccharides · FucoxanthinIn small amounts, not counted Calcium · IodineMinerals & trace elements Sodium (salty foods)

Did you know?

In the 1960s, macrobiotic cooking made it known in the United States, where it was bought dried, imported from Japan.