Now Generation Z is starting to eat big spoonfuls of sea moss: our show business reporter agrees it tastes gross, but is it a natural alternative to vitamin supplements?

For the past few months, I’ve started every day the same way: with a large tablespoon of a nasty-tasting, golden gel.

Its texture can best be described as lumpy Vaseline, and the sharp, chemical aftertaste is so intense that only strong black coffee can take the edge off.

It may sound like 19th century quackery, but it’s actually a £17 health supplement made from moss grown off the coast of the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.

And while this gel, known as sea moss, won’t win any awards for its taste, I believe it changed my life.

Since I started taking it every morning, I have experienced a change in my personality that I can best describe as a complete change.

Suddenly I have boundless energy and I don’t yawn at 5pm anymore. My friends have commented on how good I look, some even described my skin as glowing. I also don’t get hangovers anymore.

I’m far from the only fanatic sea moss. Over the past two years, it’s become incredibly popular among women under 25 – Gen Zs.

There are over 1.4 million posts about sea moss on Instagram, including glowing promotions from well-known influencers.

In fact, it is billed as the ultimate vitamin supplement. However, sea moss also has a downside, with reports of users becoming seriously ill.

What is the truth? And could this disgusting slime spell the end of vitamin supplements?

Sea moss is a type of algae that looks a bit like seaweed and grows in tide pools.

There are several species, of which Irish moss and Caribbean moss are the two most common.

Documents show that it was used as a medicine as early as 600 BC, when the Chinese harvested it to treat respiratory ailments.

During the Irish famine in the 19th century, sea moss was eaten to combat the hunger.

But in recent years, companies have begun converting the gel into a jar that can last for months.

These gels, which come in a variety of bright colors, have become popular in part due to celebrity endorsements, including reality star Kim Kardashian, who says she drinks sea mussels smoothies.

American supermodel Bella Hadid claims she drinks a glass of sea moss every morning.

As a showbusiness reporter for the Mail I follow the lives of A-list celebrities closely and after seeing these influential women singing their praises I thought I would give it a try. I even chose the same brand as Bella – Planted Seeds Gold Sea Moss Gel.

The main draw is that it is supposed to be full of minerals. According to Island Moss, one of the UK’s largest suppliers, a spoonful contains magnesium, potassium, iodine, sulphur, calcium, selenium, fibre, copper, phosphorus, zinc, riboflavin and manganese.

According to the company, ‘they provide energy, regulate digestion and detoxify the body’.

I am 24 and eat fairly healthy, but while I don’t know what many of these minerals actually do, it is an attractive promise.

However, some experts have raised concerns about the safety of sea moss, warning that excessive use could lead to thyroid problems due to its high iodine levels.

Iodine is essential for the functioning of the thyroid gland, a small gland in the neck that produces important hormones. However, too much iodine can make the thyroid gland overactive, which can lead to symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue and sleep problems.

Earlier this year, a 28-year-old woman in Connecticut, USA, was hospitalized with a serious thyroid condition after using sea moss “sporadically” for a month.

Dr Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston University in Birmingham, said: ‘If someone has an overactive thyroid, too much iodine can be a problem.

‘Normally, most people have trouble getting enough iodine, but sea moss contains a lot of it.’

Experts also question whether sea moss is healthier than multivitamins, which are carefully formulated to contain a good balance of nutrients.

‘Sea moss is undoubtedly rich in vitamins and minerals, but it’s probably not a better substitute for a good multivitamin,’ says Harley Street nutritionist Kim Pearson.

‘Sea moss is naturally occurring, so the chances of it providing the same effective health boost are slim.’

I’m thinking about stopping using sea moss myself.

The energy boost I initially got from it has slowly dissipated. My theory is that when I first started taking the gel, my body suddenly started getting nutrients it didn’t have before.

But now that that’s no longer the case, I’m not sure I want to eat a disgusting – and surprisingly expensive – gel every morning.