Kelp: Its Traditional Role in Essiac Tea

Kelp is one of the eight ingredients found in the Genuine Essiac formula. Unlike the roots, leaves, bark, and flowering plants that make up most of the formula, kelp comes from the sea. The specific species we use in Essiac is Ascophyllum nodosum, a brown seaweed native to the North Atlantic.

Seaweeds have a long history of use in coastal communities, and Ascophyllum nodosum has been harvested and utilized for generations. It is naturally rich in minerals and contains a distinctive collection of compounds characteristic of brown seaweeds.

In Genuine Essiac™, kelp is used in a specific proportion as one component of our complete eight-herb formula.

What Is Ascophyllum nodosum?

Ascophyllum nodosum is a species of brown seaweed found along North Atlantic coastlines. It is commonly known as knotted wrack or rockweed and grows attached to rocks in the intertidal zone—the portion of the shoreline regularly covered and uncovered by the tides. 1

Despite commonly being called kelp in layperson terms, Ascophyllum nodosum is technically different from the large true kelps belonging to the order Laminariales. Ascophyllum nodosum belongs to the order Fucales.

This distinction is important because the word "kelp" is often used broadly for different types of brown seaweed. Identifying the species provides much more useful information about exactly what an herbal formula contains.

A North Atlantic Seaweed With a Long History

Ascophyllum nodosum grows naturally throughout much of the North Atlantic. It can be found along portions of the coasts of North America and Europe, where it thrives in cool marine environments.

Coastal communities have historically made use of abundant brown seaweeds for a variety of purposes. Over time, Ascophyllum nodosum has been harvested for use in foods and food ingredients, seaweed meal, agriculture, and as a source of alginates.

Unlike terrestrial plants, which obtain minerals primarily from soil, seaweed grows surrounded by mineral-rich seawater. This gives brown seaweeds a nutritional and chemical profile that is quite different from the other botanicals found in Essiac.

Kelp and the Eight-Herb Essiac Formula

The complete Genuine Essiac™ formula contains:

• Burdock root
• Sheep sorrel, including the root
• Slippery elm bark
• Turkish rhubarb root
• Red clover
• Watercress
• Blessed thistle
• Kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum)

Each ingredient is included in a specific proportion as part of the complete blend.

Kelp should therefore be understood as one component of Genuine Essiac rather than as a standalone substitute for the complete formula. Kelp is a relatively small portion of the formula, which should be taken into account when considering serving size within this complete tea formula. 

What Is Naturally Found in Ascophyllum nodosum?

One reason brown seaweeds have attracted so much nutritional and scientific interest is their unusual natural composition.

Ascophyllum nodosum naturally contains a variety of minerals and marine compounds. Its reported constituents include iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium, alginates, fucoidans, mannitol, laminaran, pigments, and other naturally occurring substances. 2

Iodine

Perhaps the best-known nutrient associated with seaweed is iodine.

Iodine is an essential nutrient needed for normal thyroid hormone production and normal thyroid function. Marine environments are an important natural source of iodine, and seaweeds can accumulate iodine from seawater.

Each 3 oz serving contains approximately 22 mcg of naturally occurring iodine from kelp. For reference, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for iodine in adults is 150 mcg per day, and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is 1,100 mcg per day. See our  Nutrition Facts.

Alginates

Ascophyllum nodosum is also a natural source of alginates. These complex polysaccharides form part of the structural material of brown seaweeds.

Alginates derived from brown seaweed have been used extensively in food production and other industries because of their distinctive physical properties.

Fucoidans and Other Compounds

Brown seaweeds also contain naturally occurring polysaccharides known as fucoidans, along with polyphenols and numerous other compounds that continue to be studied by researchers. 3

Research into isolated seaweed compounds is useful for understanding the chemistry of Ascophyllum nodosum. However, findings involving isolated compounds, concentrated extracts, laboratory experiments, or animal studies should not automatically be interpreted as showing the effects of consuming kelp—or an eight-herb tea containing it—in people.

Traditional Uses of Ascophyllum nodosum

The history of Ascophyllum nodosum is closely connected with the North Atlantic communities where it naturally grows.

Food and Food Ingredients

Brown seaweeds have a long history of use in food and food production. Ascophyllum nodosum itself has also been processed for food-related applications, including as a source of alginates.

This history helps distinguish kelp from many of the terrestrial botanicals found in Essiac.

Seaweed Meal

Dried and milled Ascophyllum nodosum has historically been used to produce seaweed meal. Seaweed meal's uses include: as a soil conditioner, a plant fertilizer, and an animal feed supplement. Its mineral content and ready availability along North Atlantic shorelines made it a useful natural resource in coastal regions. 

Agricultural Uses

North Atlantic seaweeds have also been used traditionally in agriculture. Coastal communities historically collected seaweed for use on farmland, and Ascophyllum nodosum remains an important raw material for modern seaweed-based agricultural products.

These historical uses don't establish a particular health effect from drinking kelp. They do, however, illustrate how extensively this particular seaweed has been utilized by people living along the North Atlantic.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kelp and Essiac

Understanding Kelp's Place in Essiac

Ascophyllum nodosum is quite different from the roots, bark, leaves, and flowering botanicals that make up the rest of the Genuine Essiac formula. Its North Atlantic origin, marine growing environment, naturally occurring minerals, alginates, and other constituents give it a distinctive place within the blend.

Its role in Genuine Essiac is best understood within the context of the complete eight-herb formula rather than in isolation.

Learning about each ingredient individually can provide a better understanding of what Genuine Essiac contains and why details such as species identity, sourcing, proportion, preparation, and quality control matter.

Last Updated: 09/11/2026

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