By Sachi Singh, Rootless founder and seaweed superfan
I recently shared my story about leaving the world of climate philanthropy to become a seaweed evangelist. Now I know most people don’t wake up thinking: “ahhh better get my daily seaweed in.” But I’m here to explain why we should all be eating seaweed on a daily basis — and how we’re building Rootless to make that as easy as possible.
Remind me, why seaweed?
Plenty has been written about the miraculous properties of seaweed and the benefits it has for us as humans and the planet as a whole. In many cultures, regular consumption of seaweed is the norm. But in Western countries, especially the US, seaweed tends to be a once-in-a-while snack or dish–if that. This means we’re missing out on all the unique health benefits of seaweed, as well as the opportunity to grow an economy that is regenerative for the ocean and coastal communities.
Creating a daily seaweed supplement
Inspired by the Ayurvedic belief that food is medicine, my goal was to turn this nutrient-dense, nutrient diverse ingredient into a whole food supplement that nearly everyone can enjoy daily. (Why not a seaweed pill? The benefits derived from whole foods aren’t just rooted ayurvedic wisdom, they’re rooted modern science — a 2019 study found that essential nutrients from food — not supplements — is linked to lower risk of death and cancer.)
This led to many, many iterations of our first product: the Daily Bite. It’s a tasty, once-daily supplement made from sustainably sourced seaweed, almonds, dates, and seeds. That’s it. We want you to experience the benefits of seaweed in its purest form because that’s how its powerful nutrition is most bioavailable (i.e. digestible by your body). Our bites are made from organic, unprocessed whole foods; unlike pills and powders, they contain NO artificial bulking agents, chemicals, extracts, or vitamin megadoses.
With 60% of your daily Iodine needs, 20% of your daily Iron needs, and 40+ essential vitamins & minerals, a single bite boosts metabolism and energy, while supporting your thyroid and gut health. While there are centuries of stories about seaweed used as medicine, modern science is finally catching up! A new study shows that red seaweed (the kind we use) is a powerful prebiotic that has antioxidising and anti-inflammatory effects. This study also shows that sugars from red seaweed have anti-cancer effects when tested on colon cancer cells in vitro (aka in a petri dish).
The ripples of a seaweed movement
Since we launched in January 2022, we’ve sent tens of thousands of bites into the world. We’re focused on helping people understand how the Daily Bite can support your metabolism and thyroid health and give your gut some TLC, while filling nutritional gaps in your diet.
What I find most energizing is the increasing number of messages we receive about how the bites are impacting your health. From improved digestion (poop emoji) and thyroid health to increased energy levels — especially for women who are deficient in iron (there are MANY of us!) — it is thrilling to see what seaweed-powered clean nutrition can do for you.
Stay tuned for more on iodine, thyroid, and metabolism! SO much more to come.
P.S. Feel free to take 20% off your first Rootless Starter Kit with the code SEAWEEDFAN
