Why Your Kids Should Eat Sea Moss Too!

by Laura Pandolfi October 13, 2022

Family eating sea moss with kids

Sea moss, scientifically known as Chondrus crispus, is an edible seaweed that grows along the rocky Atlantic coasts. Its high mineral and vitamin content makes it one of the most coveted superfoods and supplements.

Eating sea moss helps prevent and treat numerous health conditions in adults ranging from diabetes, heart disease, obesity, infertility, immune disorders, and thyroid dysfunction to skin problems and mental health issues, to name but a few.

But what about sea moss for children? Fortunately, kids don’t share the same health concerns as adults, but Irish moss still has some great promises for them.

This alga's incredible diversity of micro and macronutrients strengthens children's bodies from the youngest age, boosts their immune system, promotes a healthier digestive system, improves their overall health, and ultimately decreases the risks of future health conditions.

By supplementing your kids’ diet with sea moss, you’re increasing their essential vitamin and mineral intakes, including calcium, magnesium, iron, iodine, zinc, phosphorus, vitamins C, A, B, and K, and so on and so forth.

How should you go about trying out sea moss for your kids? Is it safe? How much should you give them? What are kids-friendly ways to incorporate sea moss in your family meals?

Organics Nature's Sea Moss Products For Kids & Adults

Can Kids Have Sea Moss? Is it Safe?

Sea moss is considered mostly safe for adults, but a child’s body is another storydue to its particular needs and sensitivity. However, seaweeds have long been considered healthy for kids and babies when consumed in moderation.

They’re a powerful source of nutrition that parents can safely add to the family meal planning, including for their kids and babies. But remember that while sea moss is packed with minerals and vitamins, it isn't enough to cover all your children's needs. It's only effective when incorporated into a nutritionally balanced and diversified diet.

Before giving sea moss to your children, you should be aware of the recommended daily intake. Consuming too much sea moss could turn dangerous for both kids and adults.

Can babies have sea moss?

Yes, babies can have sea moss too, but in moderation. Organic sea moss is an excellent addition to a baby’s diet, and unsalted seaweeds can be given as soon as your baby starts eating solid food.

However, sea moss should never replace your baby’s milk formula. While adding some alga to your baby’s diet can be beneficial, never substitute human breast milk or commercial infant formula with homemade milk formula. It’s dangerous for your baby’s health.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [1], several babies fed with homemade alkaline-diet formulas containing ingredients like sea moss, hemp, and coconut water were hospitalized with severe nutritional deficiencies.

You can give some sea moss to your baby to strengthen their bodies and boost their immune system, but it should be an occasional addition to a nutritious baby diet. In any case, always ask for a pediatrician's advice before giving sea moss to a newborn.

Risks and side effects

The main risks associated with sea moss and other types of seaweeds for kids come from excessive consumption. Like any beneficial superfood, Irish moss could turn dangerous if your children have too much of it.

Ingesting a large amount of sea moss every day can cause iodine poisoning. While iodine-rich foods are essential for your child's development, exceeding the recommended daily intake can cause hyperthyroidism and other serious health complications in children.

Children with any health issues, especially thyroid and hormonal disorders, should never take sea moss without their doctor’s approval and supervision.

Another risk associated with sea moss is the presence of heavy metals, although these are mostly found in poor-quality products. All Organics Nature's Sea moss products have been tested for heavy metals and have safe results you can see here.

Apart from that, if parents regulate the amount of sea moss their children take according to their age, size, and weight, sea moss has minimal risks. However, typical side effects may include bowel disturbances or allergic reactions. Immediately stop giving your kids sea moss if they experience discomfort or unusual symptoms.

How Much Sea Moss Should Children Take?

The recommended daily dosage of sea moss gel for adults is anywhere from 1 to 4 tablespoons per day. Obviously, that would be too much for a kid, and parents must adjust the dosage to their children’s age, size, and weight.

The question of limiting the amount of sea moss one kid can eat is essentially about the concern of an excessive iodine intake.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements from the National Institute of Health, the adequate iodine intakes for kids are as follows:

0-6 months: 110 mcg
7-12 months: 130 mcg
1-3 years: 90 mcg
4-8 years: 90 mcg
9-13 years: 120 mcg
14-18 years: 150 mcg

Chondrus crispus (sea moss) contains an average of 4.6 mcg of iodine per gram of dehydrated algae, although that number may vary considerably depending on where the seaweed has grown. It means that a two-year-old child has his 90mcg of daily iodine intake in 19.5 g of dehydrated sea moss only.

But sea moss isn’t the only source of iodine in your kid’s diet. Iodine is also found in eggs, fish, meats, dairy products, and iodized salt you purchase at the store. You must take all these sources of iodine into account.

According to this study about Risk Assessment of Iodine Intake from the Consumption of Chondrus Crispus [2], four grams of dry Irish moss per day do not pose a health risk for children. That’s the equivalent of about 1 tbsp of sea moss gel.

How to Make Your Kids Like Sea Moss?

There are numerous ways to consume sea moss, including raw, gel, powder, capsules, gummies, etc. However, kids are often picky eaters and may not like the taste of sea moss. So, how to make them enjoy it?

Kid-friendly sea moss recipes

While raw sea moss probably has too intense of a taste for kids, sea moss gel is almost flavorless. Besides, it's super easy to incorporate into any food or drink.

We often recommend parents add sea moss gel to their kids' smoothies, pasta sauce, vegetable soups, yogurts, or even homemade cakes and cheesecakes.

Sea moss gummies for kids

A fun way to make your kids like sea moss is to make sea moss gummies. They are a great healthy alternative to conventional candies and are super tasty.

Sea moss gummies are very simple to make at home. All you need is a gummy bear mold, sea moss gel, agar-agar powder, fruit juice, and a natural sweetener like honey, maple syrup, or coconut nectar.

Topical gel for baby eczema

Sea moss gel is an excellent natural remedy for eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions, and it's safe to apply on a baby's skin.

It has great moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe and treat baby eczema naturally and avoid hydrocortisone creams that have dangerous side effects for babies and toddlers.

Sea moss baby formula

Following the celebrity craze for the alkaline diet, you may have found some online sea moss baby formula recipes.

While there’s no harm in adding a teaspoon of sea moss gel to your baby’s formula,we advise parents not to make their own baby formulas at home, whether with sea moss or not. Experts warn against the risks of nutritional deficiencies for babies fed with these formulas. Several infants have been hospitalized with severe health complications.

Tell us about your experiences! Have you given sea moss to your kids? Did they like it?

REFERENCES:

[1] Calello DP, Jefri M, Yu M, Zarraga J, Bergamo D, Hamilton R. Notes from the Field: Vitamin D–Deficient Rickets and Severe Hypocalcemia in Infants Fed Homemade Alkaline Diet Formula — Three States, August 2020–February 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:1124–1125. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7033a4external icon.

[2] Darias-Rosales J, Rubio C, Gutiérrez ÁJ, Paz S, Hardisson A. Risk assessment of iodine intake from the consumption of red seaweeds (Palmaria palmata and Chondrus crispus). Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Dec;27(36):45737-45741. doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-10478-9. Epub 2020 Aug 15. PMID: 32803579.