Not avocado toast, not a green smoothie: a warm bowl of seaweed soup. Celebrity breakfasts tend to fall into two camps: the impossibly virtuous and the suspiciously indulgent. Amal Clooney’s belongs to neither. For years, the human rights lawyer has reportedly started her day with something most American kitchens never serve before noon.
Her breakfast of choice is seaweed soup. Heat magazine reported that she usually has it as a hot bowl, sometimes with a boiled egg, and Woman & Home and HOLA! USA have both described the same habit since. In July 2026, The Korea Times, citing a Daily Mail report, identified it as miyeokguk, a Korean soup made with brown seaweed, sesame oil and garlic.
What Miyeokguk Actually Is
In Korea, miyeokguk is a comfort food with a long tradition, often eaten on birthdays and after childbirth. It is simple: rehydrated brown seaweed simmered in broth, usually with beef or dried fish, sesame oil and garlic. The result is light, savory and warming rather than heavy.
According to The Korea Times, a standard 300-gram bowl made with beef or dried pollock comes in at roughly 70 to 120 calories. It brings fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium and iodine, though it is low in protein on its own, which is why it pairs well with an egg.
Why It Fits Her Life
Clooney’s schedule moves between courtrooms, international institutions and family life with two children, so a breakfast that is quick, warm and easy to digest makes practical sense. The couple has worked with private chef Viviana Frizzi since 2013, according to The Korea Times, and their meals reportedly lean toward simple, balanced dishes rather than restrictive diets.
The same report describes lunches built around lean protein, such as salad, spaghetti with turkey meatballs and chicken with lemon sauce. Nothing about it is extreme. The consistency is the point.
What Experts Say About Seaweed
Seaweed has a strong nutritional profile. Integrative health and nutrition coach Karen Cummings-Palmer, quoted by Vogue via Woman & Home, describes it as rich in “iodine, iron, calcium, collagen, amino acids, and fiber.” Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that seaweed is low in calories, high in fiber and a source of minerals such as iodine, potassium, iron and magnesium.
There is one important caveat. Some seaweeds are very high in iodine, and too much over time can affect the thyroid. The Korea Times suggests no more than one bowl of miyeokguk a day, and Harvard advises moderation, especially for anyone with a thyroid condition.
How to Try It at Home
If you are curious, start small. Dried brown seaweed, often sold as wakame or miyeok, is available in most Asian grocery stores. Soak it, then simmer it in broth with garlic and a little sesame oil, and add an egg or tofu for protein. Keep the salt in check, since broth-based soups can be high in sodium.
Amal Clooney, 48, has turned an unexpected bowl of soup into a daily ritual. It is not a trend or a cleanse, just a warm, steady way to begin the day, which may be the most enviable part of all.