Researchers Discover Type of Seaweed That Tastes Like Bacon
I assumed coconut-bacon was the most innovative plant-based alternative for bacon, a cherished staple for so many meat-eaters. But last year, researchers at Oregon State University patented a new type of seaweed that reportedly tastes like bacon when cooked.
The dulse is a form of red marine algae that can be found growing along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, and according to Business Insider, it “looks like translucent red lettuce” and “has twice the nutritional value of kale and grows very quickly.” Chris Langdon, aquaculture researcher at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, stated:
“This stuff is pretty amazing. When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it’s a pretty strong bacon flavor.”
Langdon, who has been growing the strain for 15 years, told OSU that it is an “excellent source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants - and it contains up to 16 percent protein in dry weight.” OSU stated that for now the team is using the seaweed for “research at the Food Innovation Center on dulse recipes and products”, but noted that the vegan market alone “could comprise a niche.”
If and when seaweed bacon is available, CNN may have correctly predicted that “food lovers might no longer have to choose between tastiness and healthiness.”
Photo Credit: www.distractify.com
