Is there a need for seaweed in human nutrition?

In the Far East and Pacific Islands, there has been a long tradition of consuming seaweed as sea vegetables, while in Western countries the main use of seaweed has been as source of phycocolloids (alginate, carrageenan and agar) used as thickening and gelling agents in various industrial applications, including food processing. Seaweed is also a source of compounds with protective health effects. The beneficial effects of seaweed on human health appear to derive from the presence of three categories of constituents (fibre, proteins and minerals) as well as metabolites with antioxidant properties, including carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids.