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Various types of seaweed – particularly Japanese kelps – are now popular ingredients in many high-quality beauty products. Arame itself is featured in the cleansing products of some major international brands. But, there’s no need to part with lots of money to experience the beauty benefits of Arame seaweed.
Buying and Using Arame Seaweed
Arame may not be the easiest ingredient to find – it probably isn’t going to be stocked on the shelves of your nearest convenience store – but you should be able to find some at a local wholefood shop or Asian market.
Arame is very popular in Japanese dishes as it is considered one of the best tasting varieties of kelp. So if you ask around a little, you should find what you are looking for. If you really get stuck, why not ask a Japanese restaurant in your area if they know somewhere that stocks Arame.
Arame, like many other forms of seaweed, tends to be sold in a dried form. This is not surprising given that its natural habitat is under the sea – we have all seen dried up seaweed on the beach, and this process is used (in a more regulated way) to preserve the nutrients within Arame for consumer consumption too.
This means that the first thing you will need to do with your Arame purchase is to wash it and let it take a quick bath. Washing will remove any natural debris which might have become stuck to the seaweed, while a quick 5-minute soak in fresh water will appear to reanimate the Arame itself. It is then ready for use in cooking or a variety of other applications.
Arame Seaweed For Your Beauty Regime
By preparing your own treatments at home, you can recreate a relaxing spa experience without worrying about artificial additives, irritants, and the environmental pollutants often found in commercial products.
Arame Seaweed Exfoliant
For a gentle exfoliating face wash, first wash your face with warm water and apply a cream or oil cleanser – preferably one which does not contain alcohol or harsh perfumes which can irritate the skin.
Whilst the cleanser is still fresh on your skin, take about 1 tablespoon of dried, crumbled Arame seaweed and pat it gently all over your face, taking care to avoid the delicate eye area.
Using your fingertips, gently massage your face in small circular movements, moving from the center of your face outwards.
This action will aid lymph drainage whilst your skin benefits from the range of nutrients contained in the seaweed. Its crumbly nature will encourage the renewal of skin cells, leaving you with a fresh, bright complexion.
Best of all, when you come to wash off the mixture with a flannel or hot cloth, you can let it all run down the plug hole without worrying about the environmental damage caused by the plastic microbeads found in many contemporary facial exfoliators.
Arame Seaweed Hair Mask
Arame seaweed is a popular ingredient in luxury hair products because of the healthy boost it provides to the scalp, hair shaft, and follicle. If your hair is looking a little dull, your scalp is dry, or you have a build-up of product, this homemade hair mask recipe will set your locks back on track again.
Take between one and three tablespoons of your regular hair conditioner, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. In this, you can mix either 1-3 teaspoons of dried, crumbled Arame, or the same quantity reconstituted by soaking and finely chopped.
Many people prefer the refreshing feel of fresh Arame, as it is cooling on stressed skin and the nutrients it contains are more readily absorbed. Apply this mixture to damp, shampooed hair and pile on top of the head before wrapping in a towel and relaxing for ten to twenty minutes before rinsing out.
If you can bear it, spend the last few seconds rinsing with cold water to lock in the vitamins and minerals which have been absorbed and leave your hair naturally shiny.
Adding Arame To Your Diet
Arame has traditionally been enjoyed as part of many Asian dishes, and its popularity has spread West not just because of the nutritional benefits promised. Arame actually tastes good! Some dried seaweeds often available in health food stores can taste dry, salty, and frankly unpleasant.
Arame however, has the fresh taste of kelp, but is mild and quite enjoyable. Some people describe the flavor as creamy and nutty – certainly not the strong fishy smell you might expect! Here are some recipes for you to get started with Arame seaweed:
Brown Rice and Arame Seaweed Salad
This would be a great beginner recipe to try. Consisting largely of ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard (or at least, can shop for easily), this salad is easy to make but provides a hearty lunch with the inclusion of rice. You can find the full recipe here.
Ginger Miso Soup with Arame
This recipe also incorporates simple ingredients which shouldn’t be hard to get hold of, but has more of a Japanese flavor. With that classic miso flavor and some extra warmth provided by fresh ginger, this soup is a healthy and substantial way to enjoy Arame seaweed. You can find the full recipe here.
Basic Seaweed Recipe
Seaweed and other sea vegetables are also very convenient for use in smoothies and blended juices. The iron contained in the Arame will become more bioavailable if combined with other ingredients high in vitamin C, such as orange juice.
Because Arame can be bought dried, you can choose to sprinkle it in as you might with other seaweeds, or rehydrate it and then add it to the other fruits and vegetables you have chosen. Smoothies are a great way to try Arame without the need to prepare a special meal, enabling you to see the benefits for yourself.
This seawood smoothie recipe is really more of a set of instructions, as smoothie recipes generally are. It is an Irish recipe using Alaria, one of many types of seaweed which have traditionally been harvested and consumed along the coasts of the Emerald Isle. There’s really no reason why this couldn’t be swapped out for Arame though.
