The present invention provides a method for producing brown algae or brown algae extract in which iodine was reduced while the color components in the brown algae were retained. The method for producing brown algae by reducing iodine while retaining the color components in the brown algae is characterized in that after untreated brown algae starting material has been shredded, heat treatment is performed for 90 to 300 seconds using hot water at 90 to 100˚C. Furthermore, the method for producing a brown algae extract by reducing the iodine content while retaining the color components in the brown algae is characterized in that the brown algae obtained as described above is extracted using water-containing ethanol at a concentration of 60 to 100%.
