Meet Ulva: The Ocean’s Green Superfood

What Makes Ulva So Special?

Recent research has highlighted Ulva as one of the ocean’s most promising functional foods. It’s naturally rich in Vitamins A, C, E, K, and several B vitamins, alongside being rich in Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Iodine. Ulva also contains dietary fibre, antioxidants, plant-based protein, and natural bioactive compounds that are being studied for their potential anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting properties.

Researchers are increasingly exploring Ulva as a sustainable “superfood” due to both its nutritional value and environmental benefits. To learn more, check out this article The green seaweed Ulva: tomorrow’s “wheat of the sea” in foods, feeds, nutrition, and biomaterials

Unlike many modern “superfoods” that require extensive farming, irrigation, or processing, Ulva grows naturally in the ocean environment using sunlight and seawater alone. This makes it one of the lowest-impact food sources available today. As we become more conscious about where our food comes from and the environmental impact of our choices, ingredients like Ulva are attracting increasing global attention.

Grown Alongside Abalone

What makes this product even more interesting is the way it is cultivated. It is primarily grown as a feed source for farmed abalone, where it forms an important part of the abalone’s diet. Because Ulva grows so quickly and abundantly in the right conditions, there is often a surplus available beyond what the abalone farms require. Rather than letting this incredible resource go unused, it is now being introduced as a nutritious and sustainable food product for people to enjoy as well. This creates a wonderfully circular and environmentally conscious system — one where ocean farming produces both premium abalone and a highly nutritious sea vegetable with minimal environmental impact.

Bringing Ulva to South Africa

The product is being introduced locally by Nadia Scheffer, a passionate entrepreneur and seaweed industry specialist who has been exploring the potential of the blue economy since 2019.

With a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, Nadia has dedicated years to researching how ocean resources can be used responsibly and commercially. Her goal is to introduce South Africans to Ulva and help build appreciation for this nutrient-dense sea vegetable.

How Can You Use It?

Around the world, chefs and home cooks are increasingly experimenting with seaweed in everyday cooking. Ulva’s delicate texture and mild flavour make it a particularly approachable option for people who are new to sea vegetables. It can add freshness to salads, depth to seafood dishes, and a subtle savoury flavour to sauces and broths without overpowering the dish.

At Ocean Jewels, we love discovering products that connect great flavour with sustainability and innovation. Ulva feels like a natural extension of our passion for the ocean and the incredible ingredients it provides. We’re incredibly excited to bring this sustainable ocean ingredient to our customers and can’t wait to start sharing recipes and ideas for using it at home.

The ocean has always provided incredible nourishment — and Ulva is another reminder of just how much potential still lies beneath the surface. 🌿🐟