Those who pay attention to conscious nutrition will be familiar with agar-agar as a vegan gelatin substitute. However, the white powder consisting of carbohydrates, protein and crude fiber also plays a role in natural medicine and is even used in microbiology.
Occurrence and cultivation of agar-agar
Agar-agar – also known as agar-tang, Japanese fish glue, or Japanese gelatin – is a gelling substance obtained from the cell walls of certain species of red algae. The most commonly used algae species is Gelidium amansii lamour, a delicately branched plant up to 25 centimeters long. It thrives mainly in Southeast Asia on the coasts of the Indian Ocean, but is also found off the coasts of California and Mexico. The algae are harvested from the seabed in summer or collected from the beach at low tide, thoroughly cleaned and then laid out to dry. They are then boiled in water, during which the desired ingredient dissolves from the cell walls and turns the boiling water into a thick gel. This is dried or freeze-dried, often further bleached, and is then in the form of flakes or white powder. The name “agar-agar” comes from the Indonesian or Malay language and translates as “gelling food made from algae”. In addition to gelidium, the red algae Garcilaria, Hypnea and Pterocladia are also suitable for obtaining the substance.
Effect and application
As early as the 17th century, the Japanese produced agar-agar and used it in the preparation of dishes. To this day, for example, tokoroten noodles are popular as a low-calorie and refreshing snack. The odorless and tasteless algae powder is also traditionally used in Chinese cuisine, and even the Western food industry has long since discovered its outstanding properties. Since it is much more productive than conventional gelatine, it is used as a thickener in vegetarian soups, puddings, ice creams and cakes, among other things. It can be found in the list of food additives under the approval number E 406. In the preparation of vegetarian and vegan dishes, one level teaspoon of agar-agar is sufficient to replace six sheets of gelatin. Depending on the recipe, the powder is boiled in broth, milk, juice or water for two minutes so that its gelling effect can fully develop. Another area of application for agar-agar is in microbiology. Here, the substance serves as a nutrient medium for microorganisms. One of its advantages over gelatin is that it is more resistant to the high temperatures required for sterilization. A thin layer of liquid also forms on the surface of the agar-agar gel, on which solid objects can slide more easily. This allows more even distribution of experimental material using spatulas or cannulas. In gel form, agar-agar is used in laboratories as a substrate for growing various plants, influencing the physiology of their cell cultures. Designers have recently developed a cushioning material for shipping packaging from freeze-dried agar gel under the project name “Agar Plasticity” to replace environmentally harmful plastics. The versatile algae powder is available mainly in health food stores, organic and Asian stores, but it can now also be found in the assortment of well-stocked supermarkets. Agar-agar in its pure form is offered in pharmacies and is often used as a natural swelling agent against constipation. As a homeopathic remedy in the form of globules or drops, the active ingredient is used in the potencies D12, C6 to C200 and 1MK.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Agar-agar consists of indigestible dietary fiber and therefore has a gut stimulating and digestive effect. In higher doses, it can also act directly as a laxative. Classical homeopathy uses agar-agar for symptoms that occur as a result of suppression of secretions, perspiration or skin rashes caused by externally applied preparations. The symptoms mentioned in the corresponding drug picture range from mental irritability and hypochondria to blood stasis, bronchitis and seizures. Sore secretions, a feeling of heat and burning pain in individual parts of the body are also on the list – provided they are the result of the suppression of skin rash or nail fungus by ointments.Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) works not only with the isolated agar agar, but also with a tea made from the whole leaves of the red alga. It describes the active ingredients as detoxifying and cholesterol-lowering and assigns them to the functional circle of stomach, liver, spleen, lungs, kidney, bladder and intestines. She recommends agar-agar powder mixed in water to regulate bowel movements in cases of slowed intestinal peristalsis, hardened stools and constipation. Similar to homeopathy, Chinese medicine also uses the valuable active ingredient from red algae to eliminate heat and reduce fire. From bronchial catarrh and pneumonia to gastritis, cystitis and even hemorrhoids, it targets many different ailments and diseases. In general, in the Chinese tradition, agar agar is considered tonic and is recommended to stimulate the metabolism. It is said to help with obesity, edema and cellulite, to counteract swelling of the testicles and to stimulate kidney qi. Indonesian folk medicine uses the algae powder for heart diseases and also attributes to it a beneficial effect in diabetes mellitus. Because of the close resemblance of algae protein to the cartilage substances in the human body, some alternative practitioners in this country also hold the view that an appropriate dietary supplement can mitigate the course of osteoarthritis or even prevent it to a certain extent – if taken regularly at an early stage.
