NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Seaweed has been a staple ingredient in Asian cuisines for centuries. It has been harvested and used as food, medicine and a number of other products.

Now, new research suggests that seaweed may go beyond improving skin and health.

Holistic health counselor Andrea Beaman told CBS 2′s Kristine Johnson that seaweed is loaded with vitamins and minerals.

“I think more and more Americans are starting to eat them and find the benefits of them. Nori is probably the most popular sea vegetable, that’s the black wrap or green wrap around sushi,” she said.

Read CBS New York’s investigation by heading to its site.