Sea moss, popularly referred to as Irish moss, is a type of seaweed that grows on the Atlantic coast of Europe and North America.
Cultures worldwide have used seaweed for centuries for medical or religious reasons. Today sea moss is mainly consumed in its supplemented forms of tincture, gel, pills, and powder.
Significant questions lingering on our minds are whether you should eat sea moss and, if yes, how much Irish sea moss you should take to reap its full benefits and how that dosage is determined.
This article answers all your questions about sea moss dosage.
How Much Sea Moss Can You Take?
Given the health benefits of consuming sea moss, it would be pretty understandable if you decided to take it daily.
Daily consumption is highly encouraged, but you must achieve a balance to ensure you don't take too much sea moss or little. Taking too much iodine from the sea moss would offset this delicate balance while consuming little iodine from the Irish moss would also negatively impact the balance.
So how much sea moss should I take daily?
This question's answer depends on the different forms of sea moss supplements you are taking.
Common Sea moss supplements include:
Sea Moss Powder
Sea moss powder is the most preferred sea moss supplement because of its potency. The powder is made by crushing dried sea moss. It is best added to foods as a spice or in smoothies to boost their nutritional value.
Environmental factors play a crucial role in maintaining the effectiveness of the power sea moss; therefore, you must store it in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.
So how much sea moss powder should you take daily?
Sea moss powder recommended dosage is 1 -2 tablespoons per day. Such small doses are easy to incorporate into your food and drinks.
If it is your first time taking sea moss powder, then it is highly encouraged that you start with a small dose of 1 tablespoon and progressively increase the dosage as your body gets used to taking sea moss.
The desired dosage and form of powder you use also influence how much sea moss powder you consume. For instance, soaking the powder with water will lead you to consume less of it than taking an unsoaked powder.
Your individual needs may also dictate how much powder you will take. If you are using your Irish moss powder to make drinks, the consumption of the powder will always be subject to the recipes.
Always consume lots of beverages throughout the day to avoid getting constipated.
Sea Moss Gel
Sea moss gel is easy to use, making it the standard way to take sea moss supplements. Sea moss gel has a variety of uses, especially when making food, as it acts as a thickening agent.
To make your sea moss gel, you will first need to clean dry sea moss, remove any sea debris, and then place it in tap water for about 24 hours. After that, blend raw sea moss and water to make a jelly-like substance. You can also make sea moss gel by blending powder sea moss and water.
How much Irish sea moss gel should you take?
Sea moss gel recommended intake is 1 -2 tablespoons daily when consumed orally. This recommendation is subject to individual needs.
The dosage for the sea moss gel also varies depending on if it is a child consuming it or an adult. A child should consume half the amount of sea moss gel an adult takes.
Sea moss gel has no standard dose for its topical application. Nonetheless, the application is subject to skin conditions and allergic reactions. When using sea moss gel as a face mask, most people prefer to add one tablespoon of the gel twice a day when they are using the masks.
When using the gel on hair, people apply a generous amount before washing it off.
Sea Moss Tinctures
Sea moss tinctures are prepared by drawing out all the essential compounds and minerals in the seaweed. Tinctures are easy to store and transport, and they are also great alternatives to sea moss capsules because you can precisely control the dosage of sea moss you consume.
If you don't like its taste, combining sea moss tinctures with other drinks can alter its flavour to a more desirable one.
What is the recommended amount of tincture to take daily?
The recommended dosage for tincture is 1 -2 tablespoons daily. Like all other supplements, this dosage you require is subject to your individual needs.
If you wish to add the tincture to drinks such as smoothies and juices, the amount you add is subject to the recipes and your preferences.
Sea Moss Pills
Sea moss powder is encapsulated to make sea moss pills. These capsules are an excellent alternative for people with trouble taking sea moss in either gel or powder form.
The significant difference between sea moss pills and tinctures is that the capsules will take longer to be digested and absorbed, unlike the tinctures.
How many sea moss pills should you take every day?
Sea moss pills are an excellent dietary supplement with high bioavailability. The recommended dosage for the pills is 1000-2000 mg per day, equating to 1-2 tablets. Whether to take one or two pills depends on your needs, such as health concerns.
Please note: If you are unsure how to incorporate sea moss as a dietary supplement, please consult your healthcare provider.
What Happens To Your Body When you Drink Sea Moss Every Day?
Research shows that Irish sea moss contains many vitamins and minerals such as copper, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, Iron, calcium, and many others. Therefore, if you eat sea moss daily, you reap its many health benefits. It is important to note that consuming sea moss daily will take a few weeks to realise its many health benefits. Some of the health benefits include:
- Good gut health: Irish moss is mainly sourced for its carrageenan compound. Carrageenan acts as a soluble fibre and helps with the good bacteria in your gut system, so your digestive system can function correctly.
- Supports thyroid health: Irish sea moss contains iodine that helps proper thyroid function and prevents and treats thyroid conditions and disorders.
- Healthy skin: Irish sea moss has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of skin conditions. Its anti-aging properties are also good for your skin.
- Boosts our immune systems: Irish sea moss has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which are essential in keeping the human body from diseases.
- Gets rid of excess mucus: sea moss is rich in iodine which helps expel mucus from the body, thus reducing the risk of infections.
- Controls high blood pressure: Irish sea moss is high in fibre which helps lower cholesterol in the body, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and heart diseases.
- Promotes weight loss: Irish moss is rich in fibre, which is excellent for improving your metabolism. The seaweed fibre also makes you feel full constantly, thus suppressing your appetite and thus preventing you from overeating.
- Gives you energy: Irish moss contains Iron which is good in helping boost your energy and making you feel less exhausted.
- Fights cancer: the spiny sea vegetable contains fucoxanthin. The fucoxanthin compound helps fight against specific cancer markers, which helps reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as prostate and colorectal cancer.
- Fights tumours: Irish sea moss is high in polysaccharide content. This content acts as an antioxidant that boosts your immune system and produces an anti-tumour effect.
- Promotes libido function: the red algae is loaded with zinc. Zinc aids in improving blood circulation in the body. This helps your stamina hence promoting your libido function.
Should I Take Sea Moss In The Morning Or At Night?
The time of the day you feel like taking sea moss is solely based on your preferences.
Nonetheless, If I were to give you a recommendation, I would suggest that you make sea moss part of your morning routine. My suggestion is based on the fact that sea moss has a considerable amount of Iron in it, and Iron is helpful to our bodies as it helps boost our energy levels.
By taking sea moss in the morning, you will get rid of that sluggish and fatigue feeling and get energy levels that will sustain you during the day.
If you work out in the morning, sea moss is good. It contains the amino acid taurine, essential for the body to build and tone out muscles. If you are pushing yourself during a workout, you are assured that sea moss will help you with workout recovery.
You can also take sea moss supplements during the night. However, it might interrupt your digestion and cause stomach upsets which might interfere with sleep.
What Amount Of Sea Moss Should An Adult vs A Child Take?
The recommended sea moss intake for adults is 1 -2 tablespoons for sea moss gel, powder, and tincture, while for sea moss pills is 1 -2 capsules a day. For all sea moss supplements, children's dosage is half the amount of sea moss that adults consume.
The variation in dosage is primarily determined by the fact that adults have more health needs than children, who are still young and their bodies are functioning more effectively.
Adults are more likely to suffer from poor diets, stress, and other conditions that make their bodies exhaust the nutrients in the bodies. In such scenarios, they require more sea moss supplements to help them better their bodies' nutritional intake. You can add sea moss to their smoothies to make them taste better for them.
However, in some cases, children, such as when the child is suffering from chronic illness, may take a higher dosage of sea moss supplements. This higher dosage would help offset any nutritional deficiencies that they may have. Additionally, these sick children are in dire need of sea moss's many health benefits. Infants and toddlers should not take sea moss at all.
Adults and children should consult their health care provider on the recommended dose. Pregnant and nursing women should also consult their health care provider on whether they should take sea moss because there is no research showing how the seaweed consumption would impact them.
Closing
Sea moss is ingested in its supplemented forms of tincture, gel, capsules, and powder. How much sea moss to take daily is determined by the type of sea moss supplement you consume.
Generally, adults and children consume different amounts of sea moss because they have different nutritional needs. For adults, the recommended dosage of sea moss in gel form, tincture, and powder is 1 -2 tablespoons and 1 -2 tablets for sea moss capsules. Children recommended for gel, tincture, and powder is one tablespoon and one tablet for the sea moss capsules.
Sea moss should be safe for use when consumed as per the recommended dosage. However, if you have any underlying medical conditions or concerns, you should seek guidance from your doctor on how to consume sea moss safely.