Digestibility and energy availability of Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) seaweed in Japanese.

The digestibilities of nutrients and energy in Wakame were measured in healthy adult males. A test diet was given for 5 days after 5 days on a basal diet which supplied 40 g/day of protein and 45 kcal/kg/day of energy. The test diet was identical with the basal diet except that Wakame was incorporated. Digestibility was calculated by the difference of fecal output between the test period and the basal period. However the digestibility of its nutrient component was found to be different at each intake level. Therefore the present study simply lists the calculated figures. The results obtained were follows: 1) Composition of Wakame was protein: 20.5%, fat: 1.7%,. Total carbohydrate: 45.1%, gross energy content: 322 kcal/100g. 2) Digestibility of protein was 70.1 +/- 14.0%. 3) Digestibility of fat was 97.5 +/- 59.0%. 4) Digestibility of carbohydrate was 55.8 +/- 14.6%. 5) The ratio of the total available energy to intake energy (Net Energy Availability) was 62.4 +/- 19.4%. Wakame contains proteins and available carbohydrates, and may be consumed as a protein source as well as a good source of vitamins and minerals.