Iodine is a vital mineral for our body’s health, so it’s important to have enough in our diet.
Iodine deficiency can cause serious health issues in adults, leading to chronic conditions, and it can also cause brain damage in children. The Virtual Health Library/Ministry of Health states, “People living in iodine-deficient areas are always at risk of disorders due to this deficiency, which severely affect human, social, and economic development.”
Iodine is key for making thyroid hormone, which controls metabolism and many important body functions. Iodine deficiency can happen at any stage of life, from infancy to old age.
- The thyroid gland may swell (goiter).
- Hypothyroidism may develop, or there may be a decrease in thyroid hormone production.
- Other hypothyroidism symptoms: hoarse voice, dry skin, weight gain, and cold intolerance.
- It can lead to infertility.
- For pregnant women, symptoms include premature births, fetal death, and a high risk of miscarriage.
- It can cause intellectual disability, impaired physical development, birth defects, physical disabilities like deafness or muteness, and hypothyroidism.
You can get iodine from iodized table salt. In Brazil, by law, salt sold is iodized. When eaten in moderation, salt is safe and has no bad effects.
Tips for Using Iodized Salt
- Check the packaging for iodine.
- Don’t store the iodized salt container in the fridge; keep it in a well-ventilated area.
- Check the expiration date on the packaging.
- Keep it away from very hot places like a gas stove.
- Put the salt in a tightly sealed container.
In general, foods have little iodine unless iodized salt is added during processing.
- Seafood: herring, cod, mussels, salmon, halibut, seaweed, cockles, etc.
- Cereals: wheat, rice, oats, rye.
- Dairy products: cheese, condensed milk.
- Vegetables: spinach, chard, onion, garlic, beets, cucumber, green beans.
Note: This website provides information only and is not a replacement for a healthcare professional. Consult your doctor regularly.