absorption due to toxic substances. Part of the dietary fiber that enters the large
intestine is also broken down by intestinal bacteria. The bacterial bodies increase
due to bacterial nutrients, but around 50% of fecal volume consists of bacterial
bodies. The feces are thus ultimately a different form of dietary fiber.
Lack of dietary fiber also results in reduced water retention capacity in the large
intestine. As hardening results from the absorption of water in the large intestine,
volume within the rectum decreases, and one does not sense the need to evacuate
the bowels. As a result, the movement period within the large intestine is prolonged
and the excretion time is reduced, causing constipation. During constipation, the
formation of bile acid and carcinogenic substances increases, prolonging contact
between the intestine’s mucous membrane and carcinogenic substances and
increasing the incidence of cancer.
As South Korean diets become increasingly westernized, childhood obesity has
recently been on the rise. Abnormal accumulation of fat is detrimental to quality of
life (QOL) and may result in serious risks in terms of prognosis. Visceral obesity in
particular is seen in medical terms as requiring treatment due to its perceived close
relationship with arteriosclerosis and other conditions. Treatment of obesity must be
geared to reversing the balance of energy intake and usage and increasing the
burning of calories. Exercise and other supplementary therapies should be implemented with a focus on diet; in cases where such treatment cannot be offered or its
effects are inadequate, drug therapy should be provided. With any therapy,
however, sustaining reductions over a long period of time is highly difficult, and
progressive treatment through improvements in dietary habits should be combined
with therapies aimed at behaviors.
South Koreans mothers have long made sure to eat seaweed soup after childbirth. Even without any scientific understanding of why algae should be good for
recent mothers, the ancestors of modern-day Koreans are reported to have eaten
seaweed soup because life experience had taught that it clears the blood. Recently,
some headway has been made in solving this riddle.
In addition to being abundant sources of minerals and vitamins, all algae have
been reported to include ingredients with antibacterial and antiviral property and
effects in controlling blood pressure and blood cholesterol and assisting in antitumor activities and the clotting of red blood cells and lymphocytes.
D. Algal Polysaccharides and the Removal of Heavy Metals in the Body
Alginic acid and other algal polysaccharides are now being considered as a means
of absorbing and expelling radioactive metal contaminants within the body. This
approach is based in algae’s high rate of metal uptake. For example, algae such as
Ascophyollum nodosum (K = 5700) and Fucus vesiculosus (K = 1200) show high
rates of iron uptake. Green algae typically exhibit concentrations of cesium (Cs),
while concentrations of strontium (Sr) and plutonium (Pu) are respectively seen in
brown and red algae.
Effective elimination of contaminating metals in the body requires that ① the
toxins are removed, ② the toxins are not absorbed into the body, ③ the metals are
8.4 Functional Food Materials
275
intestine is also broken down by intestinal bacteria. The bacterial bodies increase
due to bacterial nutrients, but around 50% of fecal volume consists of bacterial
bodies. The feces are thus ultimately a different form of dietary fiber.
Lack of dietary fiber also results in reduced water retention capacity in the large
intestine. As hardening results from the absorption of water in the large intestine,
volume within the rectum decreases, and one does not sense the need to evacuate
the bowels. As a result, the movement period within the large intestine is prolonged
and the excretion time is reduced, causing constipation. During constipation, the
formation of bile acid and carcinogenic substances increases, prolonging contact
between the intestine’s mucous membrane and carcinogenic substances and
increasing the incidence of cancer.
As South Korean diets become increasingly westernized, childhood obesity has
recently been on the rise. Abnormal accumulation of fat is detrimental to quality of
life (QOL) and may result in serious risks in terms of prognosis. Visceral obesity in
particular is seen in medical terms as requiring treatment due to its perceived close
relationship with arteriosclerosis and other conditions. Treatment of obesity must be
geared to reversing the balance of energy intake and usage and increasing the
burning of calories. Exercise and other supplementary therapies should be implemented with a focus on diet; in cases where such treatment cannot be offered or its
effects are inadequate, drug therapy should be provided. With any therapy,
however, sustaining reductions over a long period of time is highly difficult, and
progressive treatment through improvements in dietary habits should be combined
with therapies aimed at behaviors.
South Koreans mothers have long made sure to eat seaweed soup after childbirth. Even without any scientific understanding of why algae should be good for
recent mothers, the ancestors of modern-day Koreans are reported to have eaten
seaweed soup because life experience had taught that it clears the blood. Recently,
some headway has been made in solving this riddle.
In addition to being abundant sources of minerals and vitamins, all algae have
been reported to include ingredients with antibacterial and antiviral property and
effects in controlling blood pressure and blood cholesterol and assisting in antitumor activities and the clotting of red blood cells and lymphocytes.
D. Algal Polysaccharides and the Removal of Heavy Metals in the Body
Alginic acid and other algal polysaccharides are now being considered as a means
of absorbing and expelling radioactive metal contaminants within the body. This
approach is based in algae’s high rate of metal uptake. For example, algae such as
Ascophyollum nodosum (K = 5700) and Fucus vesiculosus (K = 1200) show high
rates of iron uptake. Green algae typically exhibit concentrations of cesium (Cs),
while concentrations of strontium (Sr) and plutonium (Pu) are respectively seen in
brown and red algae.
Effective elimination of contaminating metals in the body requires that ① the
toxins are removed, ② the toxins are not absorbed into the body, ③ the metals are
8.4 Functional Food Materials
275