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Bladderwrack Powder

Fucus vesiculosus, known by the common names bladderwrack, black tang, rockweed, bladder fucus, sea oak, cut weed, dyers fucus, red fucus, and rock wrack is a seaweed found on the coasts of the North Sea, the western Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was the original source of iodine, discovered in 1811 and was uséd extensively to treat goitre, a swelling of the thyroid gland related to iodine deficiency.

History and background

Bladderwrack became well known in the early 1800s, when it was discovered to contain a high concentration of iodine. In fact, bladderwrack was instrumental in the discovery of the element. A French scientist called Bernard Courtois discovered it in bladderwrack and another type of seaweed simultaneously – and entirely by accident. Little did he know at the time, iodine would go on to play an instrumental role in medicine over the decades to come.

Its history is believed to date back much further than that, however. The first documented history of the species begins in the 1300s, when it was first harvested in Portugal.

How to use Bladderwrack Powder

Bladderwrack was the original source of iodine used for medicinal reasons. Like all seaweeds, it’s a nutrient-rich food that features a range of powerful antioxidants and compounds. It has a variety of different uses as a result, from treating thyroid issues and inflammation to seasoning the likes of soups, salads, stews, smoothies and more.