Caulerpa lentillifera

Caulerpa lentillifera
Scientific classification
(unranked):Viridiplantae
Class:Ulvophyceae
Order:Bryopsidales
Family:Caulerpaceae
Genus:Caulerpa
Species: C. lentillifera
Binomial name
Caulerpa lentillifera

Caulerpa lentillifera is a species of bryopsidale green algae from coastal regions in the Indo-Pacific. This seaweed is one of the favored species of edible Caulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. C. lentillifera is farmed and eaten in the Philippines and Vietnam, where it is locally known under various names including latô and arosep; in the Malaysian state of Sabah, where it is known as latokand a popular dish among the bajaus; and in Okinawa, Japan, where it is known as umi-budō (海ぶどう), meaning "sea grapes."[1] It is sometimes known in English as green caviar or sea grapes (along with the related Caulerpa racemosa).[2]

Caulerpa lentillifera is usually eaten raw with vinegar, as a snack or in a salad. In the Philippines, after being washed in clean water, it is usually eaten raw as a salad, mixed with chopped raw shallots and fresh tomatoes, and dressed with a blend of fish sauce or bagoong (fish paste) and vinegar. It is known to be rich in iodine.

Several health benefits have been reported for Caulerpa lentillifera including diabetes and lipid lowering properties.[3][4]

The pond cultivation of C. lentillifera has been very successful on Mactan Island, Cebu, in the central Philippines, with markets in Cebu and Manila. About 400 ha of ponds are under cultivation, producing 12–15 tonnes of fresh seaweed per hectare per year.

References

  1. ↑ Dawes, Clinton J. (1998). Marine botany. New York: John Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-19208-4.
  2. ↑ "Sea grapes - green caviar". Authentic World Food. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Sharma, Bhesh Raj; Kim, Hyun Jung; Rhyu, Dong Young (2015-02-15). "Caulerpa lentillifera extract ameliorates insulin resistance and regulates glucose metabolism in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in myocytes". Journal of Translational Medicine. 13: 62. doi:10.1186/s12967-015-0412-5. ISSN 1479-5876. PMC 4350654. PMID 25889508.
  4. ↑ Sharma, Bhesh Raj; Rhyu, Dong Young (July 2014). "Anti-diabetic effects of Caulerpa lentillifera: stimulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells and enhancement of glucose uptake in adipocytes". Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 4 (7): 575–580. doi:10.12980/APJTB.4.2014APJTB-2014-0091. ISSN 2221-1691. PMC 4032834. PMID 25183280.
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