I Tried Sea Moss—Here’s What I Learned
We’ve heard about it, we’ve seen it trending on Instagram and now some of our favorite smoothie and Caribbean spots are incorporating it into their signature dishes and drinks. But what exactly is sea moss?
According to Healthline, sea moss is a type of edible algae or seaweed which is “primarily harvested for use in health supplements and as a thickening ingredient in commercial foods.” Known for its nutritional value, sea moss typically includes antioxidants, iodine, magnesium, zinc, copper and is naturally low in calories, fat, and sugar.
For Briana Mulzac, sea moss is more than just a healthy byproduct but it’s a lifestyle and entrepreneurial avenue. “My boyfriend and I wanted something of our own and after so many people asking us to make our sea moss gel for them, we decided to turn it into a business, and Island Wellness was born,” Mulzac told Girls United. She explained that not only did they want something to grow and nurture, but they wanted to generate wealth from a business they could fully stand behind.
“We are both believers that wellness is a necessity and we also saw the lack of knowledge people have when it comes to sea moss. Sea moss is the perfect product that we could introduce to the world,” Mulzac said passionately. “We wanted to have a platform where we can educate more people about sea moss and other staple island fruits that are extremely good for you.”
Below, the Brooklyn native and Hampton University graduate gave Girls United the inside scoop about the health benefits of sea moss, how to use it in your day-to-day life, and the most common myths.
“In the sea moss community, we typically say ‘Eat it, Mix it, Juice it, Apply it’ because that’s exactly what you can do with it,” Mulzac told Girls United about the ways to use sea moss. Check out her expertise to find out more about sea moss!
The Health Benefits of Sea Moss For Black Women and Girls
Sea moss can be very beneficial for Black women because oftentimes Black women can be deficient in some of the essential vitamins we need, especially Vitamin D. This has been attributed to our darker and melanated skin pigmentation, lactose intolerance, lack of supplementation, and Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism.
The body naturally produces Vitamin D in response to the skin’s exposure to sunlight but Black women are at greater risk for Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency because the higher presence of melanin reduces the body’s ability to produce Vitamin D. Sea Moss is a great dietary supplement that can help provide Vitamin D, in addition to 92 out of the 102 essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need to survive and thrive.
How Sea Moss Impacts Skin, Face And Overall Wellness
My partner and I started to see the benefits within the first two weeks of consuming raw sea moss and adding it to our meals. We felt a lot more energized when working out and even saw a huge improvement in our digestion, which helped to clean out our gut. With a cleaner gut and eating healthier, we started to see a major difference in our skin.
My partner plays professional football and before he got into sea moss, he would always tell me about one of his teammates who was a huge advocate for sea moss. His teammate ate raw sea moss, sea moss gummies, and even sea moss capsules. From that point, my partner hasn’t stopped consuming sea moss and he’s been in the best health and shape since.
Ways to Incorporate Sea Moss in Your Day-To-Day Routine
Eat It: Sea Moss can be consumed in the raw form, at Island Wellness we blend our sea moss and turn it into a gel for quick and fast consumption and it can be eaten right out of the jar it comes in.
Mix It: For added vitamins and minerals in your meals, you can mix our sea moss gels into your foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, acai bowl, chutney, BBQ sauce, soup, stews, pies, ice cream, and more.
Juice It: For added vitamins and minerals in your drinks you can add our sea moss to your: smoothies, juices, teas, coffee, protein shakes, cocktails, water, and more.
Apply It: Sea moss and sea moss gel can be added into your topicals and applied to your skin. Since sea moss is rich in vitamins A, C, K & E, it makes for a great hydrating face mask. We even infused sea moss in our Island Wellness facial oils, as well as adding raw sea moss to our Island Wellness body scrubs for extra exfoliation and vitamin penetration to the skin.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/JGI/Jamie Grill