From plant-based chicken to fishless fish, it seems like there’s always something new cropping up in the world of sustainable food.
Evidence indicates that seaweed was used as food and medicine in Asia, Europe, and South AmericaTrusted Source at least as far back as 14,000 years ago, and the Romans and Celts may have used seaweed to enrich infertile soil.
However, it isn’t just a rich global history that makes seaweed so interesting as a modern food crop. It offers a host of other benefits—from creating jobs to helping restore ecosystems.
After spending a decade working on international climate and ocean solutions and earning a Master’s degree at the Yale School of Environment, Singh finally found what she was looking for.
Growing seaweed systematically may be a viable solution to several challenges, from clean ocean water to economic stimulation.
Seaweed is “what’s called an ‘unfed’ aquaculture species, meaning that you don’t typically need to provide any additional nutrients for it to grow,” says Gardner. “It just uses the nutrients in the seawater.”