Scientists discover seaweed that tastes like bacon but is better for you than kale

[Heretic]

I'll try anything if it tastes like bacon!!!!

In a week that's been jam-packed with incredible science news (New Horizons! New class of particles discovered at CERN!) this might just be the best thing we've heard so far: researchers in the US have discovered a strain of seaweed that apparently tastes just like bacon when it's fried, and has twice the nutritional value of kale.

Yes, you heard that right. The next superfood will be bacon-flavoured, and we can't wait to add it to our well-balanced diet.

The miracle seaweed is a fast-growing strain of red marine algae called dulse (Palmaria sp.), which grows wild along the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines and looks a lot like translucent red lettuce.

Scientists already knew that it was packed with antioxidants and vitamins, and contains up to 16 percent protein in dry weight, but usually it's harvested and sold dry as a cooking ingredient or nutritional supplement in Europe. But over the past 15 years, scientists at Oregon State University in the US have created a new strain that can be farmed, and they've found that it also has some unique taste benefits.

"There hasn’t been a lot of interest in using it in a fresh form," lead researcher Chris Langdon says in a press release. "But this stuff is pretty amazing. When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it’s a pretty strong bacon flavour."

Dulse. Image: Oregon State University

Langdon bred the strain while trying to find a new superfood source to help abalone - aquatic mollusks that are incredibly popular in Asia - grow faster.

"Dulse is a superfood, with twice the nutritional value of kale," said business researcher Chuck Toombs, who's helping to commercialise the project. "And [Oregon State University] had developed this variety that can be farmed, with the potential for a new industry for Oregon."

And that was before they realised it tasted like the food of the gods. Obviously we're taking the researchers' word for now, and the flavour of the dulse still has to be independently verified, but if it does taste as good as it sounds, it won't only be a win for bacon lovers, but also a lucrative product for all those who currently can't enjoy the delicious meat, such as vegetarians, or those who don't eat pork for religious reasons.

Oregon State has now patented the new dulse strain, and Langdon and his team are working with chefs and the university's Food Innovation Centre in Portland to experiment with ways it could be used as an ingredient. They're already growing 9 to 14 kg (20 to 30 pounds) a week, and Langdon says they could quickly triple the production.

Although there's been no research done as yet into how well the crop could be commercialised, Toombs's MBA students are now working on a marketing plan for a line of specialty foods, with the vegan and vegetarian markets in mind. We're pretty confident that if the stuff really does taste as good as they claim, they'll have no problem selling it.

[aGENT]

Maybe you were right Heretic. News like this means there surely must be a god!

[TimberWolf]

Only bacon tastes like bacon

All substitutes taste like bacon substitute

[Jägermeister]

How do we know that it isn't bacon that tastes like dulse?

[Mr. Ambien]

So basically seaweed tastes like crap too.

[Shift-4]

Seaweed and eggs just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[RonMexico]

So basically seaweed tastes like crap too.

You eat crap? gross.

[Lockout Casualty]

So basically seaweed tastes like crap too.

So edgy, needs caution tape.

/bacon master race

[Phil_314]

http://time.com/3960421/seaweed-bacon-dulse-kale-super-food/

Dang, if that's legit I hope they don't price it too highly, could use some bacon-flavored super-foods.

So basically seaweed tastes like crap too.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

[Chris]

So basically seaweed tastes like crap too.

[elvis15]

[Tortorella's Rant]

So edgy, needs caution tape.

/bacon master race

Heil Bacon!

[NucksPatsFan]

This seaweed tastes like bacon.

Dulse (Palmaria sp.) grows in the wild along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines. It is harvested and usually sold for up to $90 a pound in dried form as a cooking ingredient or nutritional supplement.

$90 a pound, I'll stick to regular bacon.

[drummer4now]

$90 a pound, I'll stick to regular bacon.

/thread..

[Lockout Casualty]

/thread..

/re-open thread

If test groups show enough people like it, economies of scale will drive the price down.

[Realtor Rod]

/re-open thread

If test groups show enough people like it, economies of scale will drive the price down.

HHa, you mean like Quinoa? Which is now to expensive for the people who ate it for years to have?

[elvis15]

/re-open thread

If test groups show enough people like it, economies of scale will drive the price down.

You do know the '/' signifies 'end', so you've just said "end re-open thread".

But I get your point, and absolutely a larger scale production would make it more easily affordable.

[Mr. Ambien]

[Standing_Tall#37]

$90 a pound, I'll stick to regular bacon.

I'm curious though...a pound of feathers is the same as a pound of gold weight-wise...but look at the difference in volume. Would that apply here?

[Lockout Casualty]

HHa, you mean like Quinoa? Which is now to expensive for the people who ate it for years to have?

I wouldn't know, but I imagine that's what happens when a niche product gains more popularity, but not enough to be mainstream. Production doesn't keep up so you get higher prices. Good time to sell Quinoa, one could say.

You do know the '/' signifies 'end', so you've just said "end re-open thread".

But I get your point, and absolutely a larger scale production would make it more easily affordable.

Oh.. yeah.. I was uhh.. it was a WoW reference. Yeah, that's it. It was just a typo; should have read, "re-opens thread".