A Review on Nutrients, Phytochemicals, and Health Benefits of Green Seaweed, Caulerpa lentillifera

Abstract

Caulerpa lentillifera is a type of green seaweed widely consumed as a fresh vegetable, specifically in Southeast Asia. Interestingly, this green seaweed has recently gained popularity in the food sector. Over the last two decades, many studies have reported that C. lentillifera is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds that contribute many health benefits. On the other hand, there is currently hardly any article dedicated specifically to C. lentillifera regarding nutritional composition and recent advancements in its potential health benefits. Hence, this study will summarise the findings on the nutritional content of C. lentillifera and compile recently discovered beneficial properties throughout the past decade. From the data compiled in this review paper, it can be concluded that the nutrient and phytochemical profile of C. lentillifera differs from one region to another depending on various external factors. As a result, this paper will offer researchers the groundwork to develop food products based on C. lentillifera. The authors of this paper are hopeful that a more systematic review could be done in the future as currently, existing data is still scarce.

Ulvophyte Green Algae Caulerpa lentillifera: Metabolites Profile and Antioxidant, Anticancer, Anti-Obesity, and In Vitro Cytotoxicity Properties

“…Therefore, further development of C. lentillifera products will be of interest to many scientists. In line with the finding by Syakilla et al [ 5 ] that algae is a “new superfood”, recent research has also shown the potential of C. lentillifera as a promising agent against SARS-CoV-2 [ 28 ].…”

“…Until now, the main aquaculture production that has high economic value is Caulerpa lentillifera , which is also traded internationally in Pacific countries [ 3 , 4 ]. Although the consumption of macroalgae is not as common in Europe as in Asia, microalgae have gained popularity due to their physiologically active components, earning them the nickname “new superfood” [ 5 ]. Groups of algae in the genus Caulerpa are recognized as functional food sources due to the presence of secondary metabolites.…”

An overview on the nutritional and bioactive components of green seaweeds

“…Oligopeptides from C. lentillifera show angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibiting properties. In addition, peptides obtained from green seaweeds U. rigida , U. chlatrata , and U. intestinalis also show the same effect (Syakilla et al 2022 ). C. patentiramea , collected from the coast of Malaysia, has anti-hypertensive properties and triggers a vascular relaxant effect in the aortic rings of Wistar-Kyoto rats, which is possibly mediated by endothelium-dependent nitric oxide-cGMP pathway (Lim & Mok 2010 ).…”

“…Pradhan et al ( 2021 ) found that E. prolifera extracts can inhibit the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which lead to delayed glucose attraction in blood and plasma. Polysaccharides from other green seaweeds, such as C. lentillifera , Monostroma nitidum , and U. lactuca, also showed significant effects in lowering blood sugar levels (Chen, Ouyang, et al 2022 ; Suzuki & Terasawa 2020 ; Syakilla et al 2022 ).…”

Impact of Dietary Administration of Seaweed Polysaccharide on Growth, Microbial Abundance, and Growth and Immune-Related Genes Expression of The Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

“…This production comes from about 35 countries, while the largest producer, which produces more than 99%, is China [ 42 ]. Seaweeds have high levels of proteins, fibers, vitamins, fatty acids, minerals, pigments, and several bioactive compounds [ 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Among seaweed families, brown seaweeds are known as a high source of sugars, which can protect aquatic organisms from several harmful impacts while their polysaccharide has been successively used as a feed additive for Nile tilapia [ 47 ] and red tilapia [ 2 ].…”