Wakame (ワカメ, wakame?), Undaria pinnatifida, is a sea vegetable, or edible seaweed. It has a subtly sweet flavour and is most often served in soups and salads.
Sea-farmers have grown wakame for hundreds of years in Japan and Korea and it has been nominated as among 100 of the world’s worst invasive species according to the Global Invasive Species Database.
Wakame fronds are green and have a subtly sweet flavour and slippery texture. The leaves should be cut into small pieces as they will expand during cooking.
In Japan and Europe, wakame is distributed either dried or salted, and used in soups (particularly miso soup), and salads (tofu salad), or often simply as a side dish to tofu and a salad vegetable like cucumber. These dishes are typically dressed with soya sauce and vinegar/rice vinegar.
* In China, it is called qundaicai (裙带菜). Chinese production is concentrated around Dalian.
* In Korea, it is called miyeok (미역) and used in salads or soup such miyeokguk.
* In French, it is called "fougère des mers".
Wakame is a rich source of Eicosapentaenoic acid, an Omega-3 fatty acid. At over 400 mg/100 kcal or almost 1 mg/kJ, it has one of the higher nutrient:calorie ratios, and among the very highest for a vegetarian source. A typical 1-2 tablespoon serving of Wakame is roughly 3.75-7.5 kcals and provides 15-30 mgs of Omega-3’s. Wakame also has high levels of calcium, iodine, thiamine and niacin.