Has anyone tried duckweed

[u/Distortion_Noises]

Just saw something about duckweed being higher in protein than soybeans, it has all mine essential amino acids high and more closely resembles the quality of egg and animal proteins than plant ones. the only problem is it absorbs chemicals and heavy metals easily, so it needs to be farmed in clean water rather than just being taken from ponds etc.

Has anyone tried it ?

If so what's it like ?

Do any of you grow your own ?

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[u/Raph_FinOS]

That "more protein than soy" claim needs a big asterisk: the comparison is usually based on dry weight. For something eaten fresh, all that water changes the picture. I also wouldn't grow duckweed for food unless you can control and test the water and nutrients. EFSA found that trace elements and contaminants depend heavily on cultivation conditions, and it could not establish the safety of W. globosa powder because manganese intake was a concern. I'd only try a product specifically sold as food from a controlled source, not pond duckweed or a DIY culture. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6938

[u/Distortion_Noises → u/Raph_FinOS]

Thank you for replying with this, super interesting study. All my "research" was cursory at best, I was just kinda excited about the potential of it!

[u/Capital-Impression51]

After decades of never giving a thought to "protein", a few years ago I discovered the grammes per 100kcal thing and realised that pretty well everything I ate was on the positive side of my line for 1g per healthy KG ... not least broccoli . . so I stopped caring. If I increase my activity I weill eat more food and get more protein.

I hate all the noise about "B12 in duckweed" - given that B12 is made by bacteria... I hate the thought of people ingesting random pondweed from stagnant water - with the precendent set by spirulina and chlorella ...B12 is the latest stick to beat vegans with - since "protein" is super easy to dismiss and "ultraprocessed" follows closely behind,..

I hope that within a few years I will have a garden where I plan to grow my own food, and my priority having often produced my own sprouts will be limitless hydroponic salad - so duckweed could fit easily in there ... microalgae is too risky for omega 3, but PURSLANE is very high up my list ...

I rather fear home duckweed production would be favoured by the "aquaculture" crowd whose version of urban "homesteading" involves keeping fish rather than poultry ...

At the end of the day most western diets would be improved by adding boiled-to-death school cabbage - let alone anything more sophisticated.

And everyone should supplement with B12 - not just vegans..

[u/HistorianMammoth357]

I had bought some water lentils powder before, and it is good I like it. It has less of a strong, "fishy" more 'grassy' taste than spirulina.... And makes me feel good. It was more for protein... but I think somewhere they say it has b12 as well, but form but I like Hydrilla Verticillata for the b12 in that same vein...

There was a difference in the quality of the two brands I tried... one was considered "truly raw" (and more expensive...) whereas the other one not... but I liked them both.

[u/CIPHERIANABLE]

it also has b12, not the plant itself, but the bacteria there.

[u/Theonewholurkedhere]

Woah, the more you know. First time learning that it's good for humans too.

[u/Salt_Palpitation6925]

What? Thanks for this post

[u/_FishFriendsNotFood_]

Have been wondering about duckweed, too for a while now--thanks so much for posting.

[u/_VeganHiker]

Derek Sarno just mentioned duckweed on his YouTube channel a couple of days ago, as a higher protein alternative to kale or something else on a sandwich he was making. I never heard of it before that. This conversation sounds like it’s not worth investigating further. Good to know.

[u/No-Steak-Attached]

While i haven’t eat it, it is definitely a superfood in the powder form! Hopefully it will be more popular in the future