Health Concerns

Paranoid Angelenos Make a Run on Sea Kelp

The bad news? According to Business Week, teensy, tiny amounts of radiation from Japan’s crippled nuclear facilities have arrived in California. The better news? It’s not going to hurt you, though it might make the state’s weed supply glow a little greener. In the midst of so much confusing news about the possibility of radiation harming Californians, West Hollywood Patch declares that a gang of paranoid health food nuts quickly decimated the supply of sea kelp at Hollywood’s Whole Foods, a run that’s also stricken our health food stores. Why sea kelp?

Sea kelp contains some iodine, which can be affective in combating radiation exposure. Earthbar also reports that it has been out of the stuff since March 14th, just days after the bad news broke out of Japan.

However, sitting right below everyone’s noses at both Whole Foods and Earthbar is an ample supply of potassium iodine, a supplement with thousands of times more effective iodine than the sea kelp contains. But this should only be taken when end times are announced, more or less, as it can make you sick if you don’t really need it. The story also points out that it could make you rich if you’re a hoarding, selfish jerk who wants to buy L.A.’s entire supply to re-sell if the shit really hits the fan.

While more sea kelp is floating into local stores later this week, it might be a good time to note that one can also find iodine in “yogurt, cow’s milk, eggs, strawberries, and mozzarella cheese,” every one of which tastes a helluva lot better than sea kelp. Better yet, order a bowl full of mussels, which have comparable amounts of iodine to the sea kelp, with a noticeably better taste.

Radiation Fears Spark Rush to Buy Sea Kelp at Weho Health Stores [West Hollywood Patch via LAist]

Paranoid Angelenos Make a Run on Sea Kelp