TaxonomyPhaeophyceae
old name
Saccharina digitata
new name
Laminaria digitata
USE: Saccharina digitata
REFERENCES: Used in W Europe and the UK, and potential use in Norway, L. digitata is imported in Japan and China for making dashi, a soup stock, and for other culinary purposes, such as accelerating the cooking time of vegetables such as beans and lentils. Laminaria is used for weight loss, high blood pressure, as a bulk laxative for constipation, and for treating radiation sickness. It is also used for preventing cancer. Sometimes healthcare providers use laminaria to expand the cervix, the mouth of the uterus, before certain medical procedures.
