Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of interrelated metabolic abnormalities, and its occurrence and development are closely related to the abnormal accumulation of visceral fat. Compared to subcutaneous fat, visceral fat has stronger metabolic activity and is more likely to cause insulin resistance, chronic low-grade inflammation, as well as abnormal blood lipids and blood pressure. Therefore, inhibiting the accumulation of visceral fat through dietary methods can help improve the risks associated with metabolic syndrome. Kombu is a brown seaweed ingredient rich in seaweed polysaccharides and dietary fiber. It has been consumed in the diet for a long time and was included in the first batch of national “food and medicine alike” directories in China in 2002.
Source：Food Science & Nutrition
In May 2025, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human intervention study published in Food Science & Nutrition showed that continuous consumption of kelp powder rich in alginate helped to improve body fat accumulation in men, while also improving the gut microbiome structure in both men and women.
Daily consumption of kelp can help improve male body fat accumulation.
Based on the existing research results, kelp intake shows an inhibitory effect on the accumulation of body fat (possibly including visceral fat) in men, while in women, it mainly manifests as improvements in blood pressure and intestinal flora. The effect on body fat is still unclear. It is worth noting that the research team previously also reported that overweight male subjects showed a significant reduction in body fat percentage within a safe range after taking low-iodine kelp powder for 8 weeks.
Based on this, the researchers speculated that there are certain differences in the risks of cardiovascular diseases and obesity between men and women. Generally speaking, men are more prone to excessive accumulation of visceral fat tissue, while women are more likely to have an increase in subcutaneous fat. The existing evidence suggests that kelp-related preparations or dietary supplement forms may be more beneficial for improving the metabolic status of men with excessive body fat, but the specific mechanism of the gender difference still needs further research to verify.
Food and medicine share the same origin: Kelp
When it comes to kelp, many people might feel a bit unfamiliar. But when it comes to kelpweed, it becomes very familiar. Whether it's used in soups, hot pot, or spicy noodles, kelpweed can be seen everywhere and is often served as a side dish in meals. Few people realize that it is actually a traditional Chinese medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine stores, it is generally called "kelp".
The Chinese Pharmacopoeia states that kelp refers to the dried leaf-like structure of the sea algae Laminaria japonica Aresch. or the kelp Ecklonia kurome Okam. of the Rhodophyta family. Kelp is rich in iodine, potassium and magnesium, and can be used as a substitute for salt. Its umami flavor mainly comes from glutamic acid. The application history of kelp is very long. As early as in the Three Kingdoms period.
From the perspective of biological taxonomy, kelp (Saccharina japonica, formerly known as Laminaria japonica) belongs to the Phaeophyta class and the Kelp order. It is a type of brown algae that is widely cultivated and consumed.
In Japan, it is commonly referred to as kombu/konbu. The research mentioned above uses this type of "true kombu", which has good comparability with the common edible and medicinal kelp in China in terms of species origin and main functional components. However, due to differences in growth environment, processing methods, and iodine content in different production areas, the research results still need to be evaluated in combination with specific intake amounts when applied in practice.
With the discovery of modern scientific research, the bioactive components of kelp include alginate, laminarin, algan polysaccharide, phloroglucinol, etc. In addition, the proteins, lipids, pigments, vitamins and mineral components in seaweed are also very abundant.
The application of kelp
The global kelp and related seaweed product market has been growing continuously in recent years. The global kelp and seaweed market size was approximately 1.42 billion US dollars in 2024, and is expected to grow to approximately 2.68 billion US dollars by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of about 7.4%, mainly driven by the demand for health foods and the trend of plant-based diets. The market for processed products such as kelp powder is also expanding, and is expected to reach a scale of nearly 1.5 billion US dollars by 2035.
One of the important factors contributing to the growth of the kelp market is the increasing preference of consumers for healthy and sustainable food. Another key driving factor is the growing recognition of its functional properties in dietary supplements and nutritional health products.
Kombu is not only an important ingredient in traditional cuisine, but also has given rise to various product forms. At the ingredient level, dried kombu, salted kombu products, and kombu powder are its common forms.
Kelp and its extracts may also be available in the form of dietary supplements, such as iodine and mineral capsules based on kelp extract, or kelp root nutritional tablets rich in alginate polysaccharides, which are convenient for daily nutrient supplementation and support overall health.
Justgood Health Kelp Gummies
A vegetarian capsule supplement based on kelp extract, often used as a daily source of iodine nutrition and mineral supplementation, is suitable for consumers who wish to supplement trace elements through natural sources.
Source: SC BOMING/Alibaba
Post time: Feb-28-2026