Using seaweed in the production of food could help lower cardiovascular disease, a new article suggests.

Cardiovascular diseases, mainly heart disease and stroke, is the Number One cause of premature death around the globe, according to the World Health Organization.

A leading way to prevent these diseases is to avoid obesity and eat healthy, and one major way to do this is to add a small amount of seaweed to manufactured and homemade foods, says Ole G. Mouritsen, a Danish professor.

Studies show seaweed lowers cardiovascular risk, most likely because the dried algae contains beneficial proteins, antioxidants, minerals, trace elements, dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids, he says.

Mouritsen says dried seaweed could be substituted for five percent of pizza dough without affecting its ability to rise. Similar substitutions could be made in the producing of dry pasta, bread, pizza, snack bars, etc.

In addition, cooks could add dried seaweed to foods in the making of  pastries, egg dishes, mashed potatoes, dressings, or  by sprinkling it on vegetables or fish dishes, he adds in the article, which is published in Phycologia.