UMIBUDO (SEA GRAPES)

Sea grapes scientific name, “Caulerpa lentillifera,” is known by many names worldwide, like green caviar and Umibudo. Umibudo is full of nutrition, a gluten-free snack with no preservatives added. Umibudo is a Japanese word that is the exact origin of these great tasting berries..

Caulerpa lentillifera, are popular for their several health benefits e.g., helpful in medical conditions of heart and eyesight, constipation, hypertension, skin, hair, diabetes, and obesity.

These delicious berries have a high nutritional value of vitamins, DHA, proteins, and calcium, the main reason they are prized for having many health benefits. Sea grape is a sea gift for humans that is full of fiber and used as jams, salads, or toppings, being more popular in Asia. To learn more about the Umibudo, read the article till the end! [1]

What is Umibudo?

Sea grapes belong to the algae family. These little green bubbles grow in tropical and subtropical climates at a higher temperature, allowing them to ripen fast and giving them a mouth-popping crunchy taste. Globally these are known by different names, most commonly by “umibudo” in Japan other names are ‘latô’ in the Philippines,’latok’ in Malaysia, and in the U.S., “sea grape caviar’.

Umibudo is originally from Okinawa but is now harvested in all parts of the world where conditions are favorable. This string of little green balls pops up in the mouth, giving refreshing and nutritious vibes. [2]

Source of Umibudo

The primary source of sea grapes is Okinawa, Japan, where the maximum supply comes from. Umibudo requires special growing conditions and is grown in enriched mineral seawater.

You will probably see these in Asia, specifically in Southeast Asia, where this vegetable is a part of local cuisine. You can also get it online from Amazon or from local online stores. [2]

See also 9 incredible Health Benefits of Chandler

Taste and Appearance

It appears as tiny green succulent bubbles pop up in your mouth, giving you a salty and similar caviar taste which leaves you with delicious memory of popping up. Personally, I found the taste too fishy for my liking. However, if you are a fan of unique food items, then this snack is one you should try. [3]

Health Benefits of Sea Grapes

This unique dish serves both the taste and a bunch of health advantages. Here I have listed the main health benefits of the Umibudo.

1. May help in Preventing Arthritis

Umibudo helps strengthen the bones and joints due to the presence of nutrients like calcium, vitamins (A, B, C, and K), proteins, and fatty acids found in the omega-3 group. These all are helpful in reducing the inflammation and pain associated with bone and joint diseases. [4]

2. Help in the Prevention of Hypertension

High blood pressure is a common problem everybody suffers from today. Due to high levels of vitamin C, calcium, and potassium, these berries are found to be effective for hypertension. Additionally, vitamin C also aids in controlling the sugar level in the body. This also minimizes the absorption of sorbitol and prevents the binding of glucose and protein, resulting in minimized diabetes complications.

3. Eyesight and Heart Health

As discussed earlier umibudo contains unsaturated fatty acids A.A., LA, DHA, EPA, and ALA. These fatty acids enhance the heart’s health by reducing bad cholesterol and enhancing the fluidity of blood vessels. These are also helpful for better eyesight and memory. [5]

4. Treats Goiter

Goiter is characterized as a painful lump or swelling at the neck, which can be treated by consuming 150 g of umibudo, supplying you with enough protein to treat goiter.

5. Constipation

When stool or food waste moves slowly in the digestive tract giving a painful and irritable sensation, sea grapes are your solution. They provide low calories and sugar, enabling good bacteria to digest the food.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Umibudo To Skin?

i. Hydration

Sea grapes are a beauty agent used in facial products with 24-hour long-lasting effects. Seagrape possesses hygroscopic abilities, which help in keeping the skin moisturized. Umibudo can do this as it absorbs moisture from nature from the air. As a result, improving water retention. [6]

ii. Antioxidant Protection

Sea grapes can provide a strong barrier for your skin, improving elasticity and resilience. It can also minimize aging lines and wrinkles due to the presence of vitamin C. Antioxidants, and other minerals help protect the skin from free radicals either from cosmetic products or the environment and nourish it.

Are Sea Grapes Healthy?

Research on seaweed nutrition shows that sea grapes are rich in minerals, protein, calcium, and, most importantly, unsaturated fatty acids. It also contains a high level of iodine and beta-carotene. These all collectively provide enough nutritional value that enables us to combat a lot of diseases. [7]

Different Ways You Can Eat Umibudo

The great feature of sea grapes is that these can be enjoyed with a lot of other edibles. These include sea grapes with soya sauce, and sesame saucer. This is also used with sashimi and in the sea food salad. Some people like it with sushi and simple white rice. In the Philippines, it is used with their local salad. Don’t worry if you are a sweets lover, as it is also used to make jams and in ice-cream. [8]

How Long Do Sea Grapes Last?

Umibudo can be stored for a long time in refrigerators. Store in high-salinity water and soak them in normal water before use.

Discovering something unique and new is always my passion. So, when I heard about sea grapes, why not let people know about this? These tiny green bubbles are full of taste that pop up in the mouth and give you a seafood taste. It complements many other dishes according to the cuisines of the different countries. It is found to be helpful for many major diseases due to the enrichment of minerals. One main benefit of using sea grapes is that it is perfect for your skin. If you are looking for something that has both nutrition and taste, look no further and incorporate umibudo into your diet from today.

If you enjoyed this post about UMIBUDO (SEA GRAPES) and would love to see more, join me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!

Get discounted copies of my cookbook here.

Fortunately, because of the Ads on our website, readers and subscribers of Healthier Steps are sponsoring many underprivileged families.

References

En, T. (2022, September 16). All About Umibudo (Sea Grapes) – Where to Buy, Recipe, and More! Tsunagu Japan. https://www.tsunagujapan.com/umibudo/

(n.d.-f). https://travellingfoodie.net/sea-grapes-seaweed/

Groskreutz, R. (2021, April 7). What do sea grapes taste like? Cooking Chew. https://cookingchew.com/sea-grapes-taste.html

Enjoy the Health Benefits of Delicious Sea Grapes – Green Caviar. (n.d.). http://vnfitfoods.com/community/27/enjoy-the-health-benefits-of-delicious-sea-grapes-green-caviar.html

Nguyen, G. (2018, November 13). 15 Scientific Health Benefits of Sea Grape – Medical Uses – Beauty Treatments (Part 1). https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/15-scientific-health-benefits-sea-grape-medical-uses-beauty-nguyen

Collaborator, F. M. (2019, April 17). Sea Grapes Health Benefits. Cocokind. https://www.cocokind.com/blogs/news/sea-grape-caviar

Hegde, R. (2020, September 17). Umibudo (Sea Grapes): Taste, Benefits, & How to Use. Organic Facts. https://www.organicfacts.net/umibudo-sea-grapes.html

https://travellingfoodie.net/sea-grapes-seaweed/