Iodine is one of the essential elements needed for good health. It helps to maintain a healthy thyroid gland, which controls metabolism and hormone regulation, as well as supporting digestive organs, the skin and other body systems. It is particularly important for pregnant and breastfeeding women, who usually need to increase their intake of iodine to aid in lactation and help to prevent birth defects. Iodine deficiency may eventually lead to breast cancer.
While including iodine rich foods in the diet is important, too much iodine can lead to hyperthyroidism. This tends to happen when a person experiences a large, sudden increase of iodine. It is better to add small amounts of iodine to a diet at first, rather than making radical changes.
Valuable Nutrients
The increasing popularity of natural salts has left some people with a lower iodine intake. While natural sea salts do sometimes include a little iodine, they are not as reliable as iodine fortified table salt. Salt has earned a bad name recently, but table salt only makes a small contribution to the amount of salt consumed in an average diet (the rest being found in packaged and take-away foods) so adding a small amount to an otherwise balanced diet will probably do little harm.
Some studies have shown that a deficiency of selenium may lower the thyroid gland's effectiveness in using iodine. Most people do get enough selenium through a regular diet with fresh produce, however some areas such as New Zealand, and parts of Russia and China have selenium deficient soils. Get plenty of selenium through supplements and foods such as Brazil nuts.
Eat More Seafood
Most seaweeds, such as kelp, contain iodine. While kelp may not seem like an appetizing option, in fact it is one of the ingredients that make up miso soup, which is a common and delicious Japanese broth. California roll sushi is also usually wrapped in dried seaweed.
Many kinds of ocean fish contain good amounts of iodine, however it's impossible to determine how much iodine an individual fish contains. Eating different kinds of fresh fish regularly is a healthy habit and will increase intakes of other nutrients like omega-3 oils as well as iodine. But, for a regular intake of iodine, ocean fish should not be the only source.
Other Sources of Iodine
Milk and milk products, especially yogurt, contain excellent amounts of iodine. While these foods should be eaten in moderation due to their saturated fat content, they can be a valuable part of a diet. One egg contains around 15% of the average daily iodine requirement. Strawberries also contain iodine, along with some fortified breads. Eating excessive amounts of cabbage, broccoli and similar vegetables may interfere with iodine intake, so it is best to avoid these at meals that contain iodine rich foods.
Including sources of iodine in a balanced diet is an important way of supporting the thyroid gland, and is essential for pregnant or lactating women. Iodine is essential for the healthy functioning of the body, but should be eaten in moderation and intake should be increased slowly.
Reference:
Utiger, Robert. T. "Keshin-Beck Disease – Expanding the Spectrum of Iodine-Deficiency Disorders." The New England Journal of Medicine 339 (1998): 1156–1158.
Rachel Sawaya - Rachel Sawaya is a freelance writer from New Zealand (who also has US citizenship), and currently lives in Auckland, the big smoke of New ...
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