- Any of various brown, often very large seaweeds of the order Laminariales.
- The ash of these seaweeds, used as a source of potash and iodine.
[Middle English culp.]
kelp
Dictionary:
kelp (kĕlp)  |
n.
| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: kelp |
For more information on kelp, visit Britannica.com.
| Food and Nutrition: kelp |
Large brown seaweeds of the genus Laminaria. Occasionally used as food or food ingredient but mostly the ash is used as a source of alkali and iodine. Sometimes claimed as a health food with unspecified properties.
| Food and Fitness: kelp |
A group of large, brown seaweeds with the scientific name Laminaria. Kelp is used for human food, especially by the coastal populations of China and Japan. It is very rich in iodine, consequently it is sometimes prescribed to treat deficiencies of that trace element. Some manufacturers of dietary products containing kelp claim that their high levels of iodine act as a weight-reducing agent by increasing the production of thyroid hormones (of which iodine is an essential component) and raising metabolic rate. This would result in excess fat being consumed as an energy source. The claim is unlikely to be true for people who are not iodine deficient. An excessively high iodine intake can be toxic.
| Food Lover's Companion: kelp |
| Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia: Kelp |
Description
Kelp (Fucus vesiculosus) is a type of brown seaweed, moderate in size, that grows in regions with cold coastlines, including those of the northwestern United States and northern Europe. There are several varieties of kelp: true kelp, which thrives in cool seas; giant kelp, and bladder kelp, which grow in the North Pacific. Giant kelp is so named because it grows to 213 ft (65 m). Kelp anchors itself to rocky surfaces via tentacle-like roots. From these roots grows a slender stalk with long, leaf-like blades.
Kelp belongs to the Fucaceae family. Other names for Fucus vesiculosus are kelpware, black-tang, bladderfucus, cutweed, and bladderwrack. The main constituents of kelp include phenolic compounds, mucopolysaccharides, algin, polar lipids, and glycosyl ester diglycerides. Kelp also contains protein, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids.
Kelp contains approximately 30 minerals. It is a rich source of iodine, calcium, sulfur, and silicon. Other minerals include phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, copper, zinc, manganese, barium, boron, chromium, lithium, nickel, silver, titanium, vanadium, aluminum, strontium, bismuth, chlorine, cobalt, gallium, tin, and zirconium. Kelp also contains vitamins C, E, D, K, and B complex. The highest concentrations of these vitamins and minerals are found in the tissues of kelp. Since kelp is such a valuable source of nutrients, it is often recommended as a dietary supplement, particularly for people with mineral deficiencies.
Origins
Different kinds of kelp have been eaten for nutritional value for over a thousand years. The Chinese used kelp and other types of seaweed as medicine as far back as 3,000 B.C. The Greeks used kelp to feed their cattle around the first century B.C. Kelp has been a staple food of Icelanders for centuries, and ancient Hawaiian nobles grew gardens of edible seaweed. Kelp was also used in Europe and Great Britain as fertilizer to nourish soil and assist plant growth.
The largest consumer of kelp, however, has been Japan. The Japanese have incorporated kelp and seaweed into their diets for 1,500 years. During the seventh to ninth centuries, only the Japanese nobility consumed seaweed. In the seventeenth century, Japan began farming seaweed. The Japanese and other Asian cultures used kelp to treat uterine problems, genital tract disorders, and kidney, bladder, and prostate ailments.
Kelp is still an integral part of the Japanese diet. The Japanese include kelp in almost every meal, using it in salads or as a garnish, or cooking it in soups, sauces, and cakes. Noodles made from kelp are a staple of the Japanese diet. Until recently, kelp was eaten almost exclusively by the Japanese. Now the Western population is beginning to take note of this nutrient-rich seaweed. However, Fucus vesiculosus is not the kind of kelp that is eaten.
Eating dietary kelp may be responsible for the low rate of breast cancer among Japanese women, and also for the low rate of heart disease, respiratory disease, rheumatism, arthritis, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal ailments. The occurrence of thyroid disease is also low in Japan.
General Use
Many herbalist and naturopathic physicians recommend Fucus vesiculosus to treat thyroid disorders, arthritis, rheumatism, constipation, colds, high blood pressure, colitis, eczema, goiter, obesity, low vitality, poor digestion, nervous disorders, menstrual irregularities, glandular disorders, and water retention.
Fucus vesiculosus has a therapeutic effect on many systems of the body. It strengthens immune system function and increases resistance to infection and fever. Kelp is also beneficial to the nervous and endocrine systems. It enhances the function of the adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary glands, and supports brain health and function.
One of the main therapeutic uses of Fucus vesiculosus is for thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism and goiter. Partly due to its high iodine content, this kind of kelp assists in the production of thyroid hormones, which help regulate the thyroid gland. People who don't eat dairy products, seafood, and salt may develop an iodine deficiency, which may result in low thyroid function. Kelp is a good source of iodine for those who may be deficient.
Thyroid hormones are also necessary to maintain a normal metabolism. Fucus vesiculosus helps boost metabolism, which helps to sustain normal weight (especially in people who are overweight because of a thyroid condition).
This type of kelp is also used to rid the body of and keep it from absorbing harmful chemicals, toxins, carcinogens, and such heavy metal pollutants as barium and cadmium. Algin, a fiber-like extract of kelp, helps prevent the body from assimilating these elements. Algin is used industrially in the production of tires and as an agent that prevents ice cream from crystallizing. Kelp also helps to prevent the body from absorbing radioactive elements such as strontium 90, a dangerous radioactive substance created by nuclear power plants. However, since Fucus vesiculosus absorbs toxic chemicals, it must be harvested from clean waters or it may contain toxins.
Kelp also reduces cholesterol levels by inhibiting bile acid absorption. The diuretic effect of kelp is beneficial to an irritated or infected bladder since it helps to flush out harmful bacteria. Kelp helps reduce inflammation in injured tissues and ease painful joints in rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis. Kelp may also reduce an enlarged prostate in men, and is also used to strengthen fingernails, prevent hair loss, and regenerate hair if the follicle is still alive.
In addition to its medicinal uses, kelp contains natural antioxidants that make it useful to the food industry in retarding spoilage. The cosmetics industry is also studying the effects of a gel derived from kelp in improving the elasticity of human skin.
Preparations
The kelp used medicinally in modern times is generally harvested in kelp farms. These farms help preserve the natural balance of the sea, which is disrupted when large amounts of naturally growing seaweed are removed. Farming kelp also helps to ensure that the kelp retains its nutritional value. Kelp loses valuable nutrients when it is washed ashore. When kelp is harvested, it is cut, dried, then ground into powder. It is this powder that is encapsulated or pressed into tablets.
Kelp is available in bulk form either dried or as a ground powder. It is also sold as granules, capsules, tablets, or tinctures. Granulated or powdered kelp can be added to food as a salt substitute.
The recommended daily dose for adults is 10–15 mg. Kelp can also be made into a tea. To create an infusion, 1 cup of boiling water is poured over 2-3 tsp of dried or powdered kelp. The tea is steeped for 10 minutes, and can be drunk three times daily.
Precautions
People should not gather wild kelp because it may contain contaminants absorbed from the sea.
People with high blood pressure or a history of thyroid problems should consult their healthcare practitioner before using kelp. The high sodium content of Fucus vesiculosus may make high blood pressure worse. Kelp isn't recommended for people on a low-sodium diet.
Excessive consumption of kelp can provide the body with too much iodine and interfere with thyroid function. Consumers should use it only as directed.
Side Effects
There are no known side effects, but some people may be sensitive or allergic to kelp. Common allergic symptoms include mild stomachache.
Interactions
Fucus vesiculosus shouldn't be taken with thyroid medications.
Resources
Books
Time-Life Books. The Alternative Advisor. Alexandria, VA: Time Life, Inc., 1997.
Lininger, D.C., Skye. The Natural Pharmacy. Virtual Health, LLC, 1998.
Periodicals
Fujimura, T., K. Tsukahara, S. Moriwaki, et al. "Treatment of Human Skin with an Extract of Fucus vesiculosus Changes Its Thickness and Mechanical Properties." Journal of Cosmetic Science 53 (January-February 2002): 1-9.
Ruperez, P., O. Ahrazem, and J. A. Leal. "Potential Antioxidant Capacity of Sulfated Polysaccharides from the Edible Marine Brown Seaweed Fucus vesiculosus." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 50 (February 13, 2002): 840-845.
[Article by: Jennifer Wurges; Rebecca J. Frey, PhD]
| Word Tutor: kelp |
IN BRIEF: A large brown seaweed.
The kelp forest stretched high above the divers.
| Wikipedia: Kelp |
| Kelp | |
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| Kelp on rocky beach in Freycinet, Tasmania | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Chromalveolata |
| Phylum: | Heterokontophyta |
| Class: | Phaeophyceae |
| Order: | Laminariales Migula, 1909[1] |
| Families | |
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Akkesiphycaceae |
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| Energy 40 kcal 180 kJ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database |
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For other uses, see Kelp (disambiguation).
Kelp are large seaweeds (algae) belonging to the brown algae (class Phaeophyceae) and are classified as the order Laminariales. There are about 300 different genera. Some species can be very long and form kelp forests.
Kelp fisheries is a branch of fisheries science which deals with the study of and uses of large seaweeds of the brown algae group that are commonly called kelp.
Despite their plant-like appearance, scientists group them not with the terrestrial plants (kingdom Plantae), but instead place them either in kingdom Protista or in kingdom Chromista.
Kelp grows in underwater "forests" (kelp forests) in shallow oceans. It requires nutrient-rich water below about 20 °C (68 °F). It is known for its high growth rate — the genera Macrocystis and Nereocystis grow as fast as half a metre a day, ultimately reaching 30 to 80 m.[2]
Through the 19th century, the word "kelp" was closely associated with seaweeds that could be burned to obtain soda ash (primarily sodium carbonate). The seaweeds used included species from both the orders Laminariales and Fucales. The word "kelp" was also used directly to refer to these processed ashes.[3]
Contents |
Morphology
In most kelp, the thallus (or body) consists of flat or leaf-like structures known as blades. Blades originate from elongated stem-like structures, the stipes. The holdfast, a root-like structure, anchors the kelp to the substrate of the ocean. Gas-filled bladders (pneumatocysts) form at the base of blades of American species, such as Nereocystis lueteana (Mert. & Post & Rupr.)[2] and keep the kelp blades close to the surface, holding up the blades by the gas they contain.
Growth and reproduction
Growth occurs at the base of the meristem, where the blades and stipe meet. Growth may be limited by grazing. Sea urchins, for example, can reduce entire areas to urchin barrens. The kelp life cycle involves a diploid sporophyte and haploid gametophyte stage. The haploid phase begins when the mature organism releases many spores, which then germinate to become male or female gametophytes. Sexual reproduction then results in the beginning of the diploid sporophyte stage which will develop into a mature individual.
Commercial uses
Bongo kelp ash is rich in iodine and alkali. In great amount, kelp ash can be used in soap and glass production. Until the Leblanc process was commercialized in the early 1800s, burning of kelp in Scotland was one of the principal industrial sources of soda ash (predominantly sodium carbonate).[4] Alginate, a kelp-derived carbohydrate, is used to thicken products such as ice cream, jelly, salad dressing, and toothpaste, as well as an ingredient in exotic dog food and in manufactured goods. Giant kelp can be harvested fairly easily because of its surface canopy and growth habit of staying in deeper water.
Kelp is also used frequently in seaweed fertiliser, especially in the Channel Islands, where it is known as vraic.
Kombu (Saccharina japonica and others), several Pacific species of kelp, is a very important ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Kombu is used to flavor broths and stews (especially dashi), as a savory garnish (tororo konbu) for rice and other dishes, as a vegetable, and a primary ingredient in popular snacks (such as tsukudani). Transparent sheets of kelp (oboro konbu) are used as an edible decorative wrapping for rice and other foods.[5]
Kombu can be used to soften beans during cooking, and to help convert indigestible sugars and thus reduce flatulence.[6]
Because of its high concentration of iodine, brown kelp (Laminaria) has been used to treat goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland caused by a lack of iodine, since medieval times.[7]
As a possible renewable energy source
See also: Biomass energy, Algae fuel
Kelp has a high rate of growth and its decay is quite efficient in yielding methane, as well as sugars that can be converted to ethanol. It has been proposed that large open-ocean kelp farms could serve as a source of renewable energy.[8] Unlike some biofuels such as corn ethanol, kelp energy avoids "food vs fuel" issues and does not require irrigation.
Kelp in history and culture
During the Highland Clearances, many Scottish Highlanders were moved off their crofts, and went to industries such as fishing and kelping (producing soda ash from the ashes of kelp). At least until the 1820s, when there were steep falls in the price of kelp, landlords wanted to create pools of cheap or virtually free labour, supplied by families subsisting in new crofting townships. Kelp collection and processing was a very profitable way of using this labour, and landlords petitioned successfully for legislation designed to stop emigration. But the economic collapse of the kelp industry in northern Scotland led to further emigration, especially to North America.
Natives of the Falkland Islands are sometimes nicknamed "Kelpers"[9][10]. The name is primarily applied by outsiders rather than the natives themselves.
Conservation
Overfishing nearshore ecosystems leads to the degradation of kelp forests. Herbivores are released from their usual population regulation, leading to over-grazing of kelp and other algae. This can quickly result in barren landscapes where only a small number of species can thrive.[citation needed]
Gallery
_01.jpg) Giant kelp in the Monterey Bay Aquarium. |
 Kelp |
 Scuba diver in kelp forest |
 Blue Rockfish in kelp forest |
 Anemone and starfish in kelp forest |
 An underwater shot of a Kelp forest. |
 A Kelp forest. |
 A fish swimming in a Kelp Forest as seen at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. |
 A view of the Kelp Forest Exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium from the upstairs level. |
Prominent species
- Bull-head kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, a northwestern American species. Used by coastal indigenous peoples to create fishing nets.
- Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, the largest seaweed. Found in the Pacific coast of North America and South America.
- Kombu, Laminaria japonica and others, several edible species of kelp found in Japan.
Species of Laminaria in the British Isles;
- Laminaria digitata (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux (Oarweed; Tangle)
- Laminaria hyperborea (Gunnerus) Foslie (Curvie)
- Laminaria ochroleuca Bachelot de la Pylaie
- Laminaria saccharina (Linnaeus) J.V.Lamouroux (sea belt; sugar kelp; sugarwack)
Species of Laminaria world-wide, listing of species at AlgaeBase:[11]
- Laminaria agardhii (NE. America)
- Laminaria angustata (Japan)
- Laminaria bongardina Postels et Ruprecht (Bering Sea to California)
- Laminaria cuneifolia (NE. America)
- Laminaria dentigera Klellm. (California - America)
- Laminaria digitata (NE. America)
- Laminaria ephemera Setchell (Sitka, Alaska, to Monterey County, California - America)
- Laminaria farlowii Setchell (Santa Cruz, California, to Baja California - America)
- Laminaria groenlandica (NE. America)
- Laminaria japonica (Japan), synonym of Saccharina japonica
- Laminaria longicruris (NE. America)
- Laminaria nigripes (NE. America)
- Laminaria ontermedia (NE. America)
- Laminaria pallida]] Greville ex J. Agardh (South Africa)
- Laminaria platymeris (NE. America)
- Laminaria saccharina (Linnaeus) Lamouroux (Aleutian Islands, Alaska to southern California America)
- Laminaria setchellii Silva (Aleutian Islands, Alaska to Baja California America)
- Laminaria sinclairii (Harvey ex Hooker f. ex Harvey) Farlow, Anderson et Eaton (Hope Island, British Columbia to Los Angeles, California - America)
- Laminaria solidungula (NE. America)
- Laminaria stenophylla (NE. America)
Other species in the Laminariales which may be considered as kelp;
- Alaria marginata Post. & Rupr. (Alaska and California - America
- Costaria costata (C.Ag.) Saunders Japan; Alaska, California - America)
- Durvillea antarctica (New Zealand, South America, and Australia)
- Durvillea willana (New Zealand)
- Durvillaea potatorum (Labillardière) Areschoug (Tasmania; Australia)
- Ecklonia brevipes J. Agardh (Australia; New Zealand)
- Ecklonia maxima (Osbeck) Papenfuss (South Africa)
- Ecklonia radiata (C.Agardh) J. Agardh (Australia; Tasmania; New Zealand; South Africa)
- Eisena arborea Aresch. (Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Montrey, Santa Catalina Island, California - America)
- Egregia menziesii (Turn.) Aresch.
- Hedophyllum sessile (C.Ag.) Setch (Alaska, California - America)
- Macrocystis angustifolia Bory (Australia; Tasmania and South Africa)
- Pleurophycus gardneri Setch. & Saund. (Alaska, California - America)
- Pterygophora californica Rupr. (Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Bahia del Ropsario, Baja California and California - America)
- Saccharina japonica (Japan)
Interactions
Some animals are named after the kelp, either because they inhabit the same habitat as kelp or because they feed on kelp. These include:
- Northern kelp crab (Pugettia producta) and graceful kelp crab (Pugettia gracilis), Pacific coast of North America.
- Kelpfish (blenny) (e.g., Heterosticbus rostratus, genus Gibbonsia), Pacific coast of North America.
- Kelp goose (kelp hen) (Chloephaga hybrida), South America and the Falkland Islands
- Kelp pigeon (sheathbill) (Chionis alba and Chionis minor), Antarctic
See also
- Kelp forest
- Bladder wrack
- KeLP programming system
- Monterey Bay Aquarium, which displays a kelp forest and its wildlife.
- Durvillea
- Wrack zone
References
- ^ Migula, W. (1909). Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland, Deutsch-Österreich und der Schweiz. Band II. Algen. 2. Teil. Rhodophyceae, Phaeophyceae, Characeae. Gera: Verlag Friedriech von Zezschwitz. pp. i-iv, 1-382, 122 (41 col.) pls.
- ^ a b Thomas, D. 2002. Seaweeds. The Natural History Museum, London, p. 15. ISBN 0 565 09175 1
- ^ "Kelp," in Oxford English Dictionary (Second Edition). Oxford University Press, 1989. Retrieved 1 December 2006
- ^ Clow, Archibald and Clow, Nan L. (1952). Chemical Revolution. Ayer Co Pub, June 1952, pp. 65–90. ISBN 0-8369-1909-2
- ^ Kazuko, Emi: Japanese Cooking, p. 78, Hermes House, 2002, p. 78. ISBN 0-681-32327-2
- ^ Graimes, Nicola: The Best-Ever Vegetarian Cookbook, Barnes & Noble Books, 1999, p. 59. ISBN 0-7607-1740-0
- ^ Iodine Helps Kelp Fight Free Radicals and May Aid Humans, Too Newswise, Retrieved on July 8, 2008.
- ^ www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2166
- ^ [1]allwords.com definition for "Kelper",
- ^ [2] dictionary.com definition for "Kelper"
- ^ Laminariales
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Laminariales |
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
| Translations: Kelp |
Dansk (Danish)
n. - kelp, betegnelse for forskellige tangarter til brug for udvinding af jod, tangaske
Nederlands (Dutch)
kelp (soort zeewier)
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) φαιοφύκη
Italiano (Italian)
tipo di alga, soda di alghe
Português (Portuguese)
n. - espécie de alga (f) marinha de cor marrom
Русский (Russian)
бурая водоросль
Español (Spanish)
n. - alga marina, varec
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kelp, brunalg, tång
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
海草, 海草灰, 巨藻
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 海草, 海草灰, 巨藻
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) عشب البحر
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - מין אצת-ים, אפר אצות ששימש לייצור זכוכית וסבון
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Food and Nutrition. A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2005 by A. E. Bender and D. A. Bender. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Food and Fitness. Food and Fitness: A Dictionary of Diet and Exercise. Copyright © 1997, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Food Lover's Companion. Food Lover's Companion. Copyright © 2001 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Copyright © 2005 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- seaweed
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- Fucus (botany)
- Kelp (family name)
- mannite
- fertilizer
- cabrilla
- melanosperm
- Kelp greenling
