Best Sources of Iodine for a Daily Diet
Our bodies do not produce iodine, so it must be supplied in our daily diet. When iodine intake is poor, the body cannot produce enough thyroid hormones. Here are some of the best sources of iodine for a daily diet.
Foods that can boost iodine levels
Seafood
Seaweed, saltwater fish and general seafood are natural sources of dietary iodine.
Dairy products
Dairy products also supply iodine in the diet at varying levels. During lactation, the breast concentrates iodine in milk, so breastmilk tends be a good source of iodine for babies, as long as the mother’s iodine intake is adequate.
Vegetables grown in iodine-rich soil
Plants grown in iodine-rich soil are also good sources; however, this is not a reliable source of iodine since there is no way of knowing whether produce purchased in grocery stores is grown in iodine-rich soil.
Iodized salt
Iodized salt usually adds less than about 300 micrograms iodine daily to the diet. Most multivitamin mineral supplements contain 150 micrograms of iodine. With the safe upper limit of daily iodine intake for adults set at 1,100 micrograms by the IOM, it is unlikely to hit an excess amount when including a multivitamin and including natural sources of dietary iodine.
Iodine fortification of salt is what most countries rely on to encourage adequate dietary intake.
Over 70 countries fortify their salt with iodine, making iodized salt one of the main sources of iodine in the common diet. One-fourth of a teaspoon of iodized salts has about 100 micrograms of iodine.
Note that the salt used in processed foods, which is the major source of salt for most Americans, typically does not contain iodine. If salt used in a processed food contains iodine, it will be listed in the ingredients list of that food. Focus on decreasing the amount of salt consumed from processed foods and getting your sodium from iodized salt.
The trend of eating less table salt, dairy and bread has some experts concerned that iodine deficiency could be on the rise again. Eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes iodine-rich foods and iodized salt is key to good health. Prenatal vitamins containing iodine can help meet nutritional needs for pregnant and lactating mothers.
Finding iodine rich foods is not too difficult, but being mindful to maintain a daily diet of such foods can be difficult or stressful. To eliminate the worry of meeting daily iodine values in your diet, check out our liquid iodine solution for supplementing.
Iodine deficiency can lead to many complications in adults, and can be especially detrimental to developing children. Read our post about the symptoms and dangers of iodine deficiency.
If you suspect you are not getting enough iodine, consult a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Supplementing your daily diet with iodine can help boost thyroid levels, and eliminate unwanted symptoms of iodine deficiency. Check out ROCKSAP Lugol’s Iodine!
