When you are making your meal plan, you could be thinking about nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants. This implies that essential nutrients, such as iodine, are frequently overlooked.
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However, do not rely solely on this mineral. Your general health is greatly impacted by iodine, and a number of foods high in iodine also have numerous additional health advantages. Think about including a larger portion of these iodine-rich foods.
The Reasons Your Diet Needs Iodine
Your thyroid uses iodine to create hormones that control your metabolism and, if you are pregnant, aid in the development of the brain and bones of the fetus. The recommended daily allowance of iodine for individuals is 150 micrograms, however pregnant women require 220 micrograms, and nursing mothers require 290 micrograms. You must obtain all of the iodine you need from your food because your body is unable to manufacture it on its own.
What Takes Place When Iodine Levels Are Too High or Too Low?
Eating excessive or insufficient amounts of iodine can lead to certain health issues; in fact, eating too much or too little iodine can lead to some of the same issues. To prevent one of these health problems, the National Institutes of Health advise limiting your daily iodine intake to less than 1,100 micrograms.
Goiter
A goiter is an inflammation of the thyroid in the neck, which can compress the throat and make it hard to swallow or breathe.
Insufficient thyroid function
Another typical problem with low iodine levels is hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, which can cause weakness or exhaustion as well as weight gain and susceptibility to cold.
Overactive thyroid
The antithesis of hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism is a hyperactive thyroid gland that can result in tremors and weight loss.
Products with a High Iodine Content
- Iodized Salt
Potassium iodide is typically added to regular table salt to increase its iodine content. Thankfully, the benefits of using the salt shaker do not require frequent use. You would need less than a teaspoon of iodized salt per day to get your recommended daily allowance of iodine, as one 1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt provides 45 micrograms of iodine.
- Seaweed
Any type of seaweed, regardless of whether you love wakame or nori, can improve your iodine levels. Indeed, a good item can sometimes be had in excess. A single sheet of kombu kelp, which is frequently used in dashi broth, can contain almost 3,000 micrograms of iodine. The seaweed used to make sushi, nori, has 16–43 micrograms per sheet. (That means to reach your daily limit, you would need a little over three sushi rolls!)
- Fish
Since many fish and shellfish species are high in iodine, eating seafood is a convenient approach to meet your daily requirement. (You can give thanks to the seawater since a lot of marine life takes in and transfers iodine from their surroundings to you.)
Iodine-rich seafood includes cod (which can have an iodine content of 63 to 99 micrograms), shrimp (3 ounces of shrimp have 35 micrograms of iodine), and oysters (3 ounces of oysters have 93 micrograms of iodine).
- Dairy Goods
Cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and other foods containing cow’s milk are probably good sources of iodine.
A cup of milk or Greek yogurt can supply more than half of the daily requirement for iodine, making them excellent options for iodine intake. Conversely, ice cream and cheese have lower iodine contents—roughly 28 micrograms and 14 micrograms, respectively.
- Liver of Beef
Beef livers are the best option if you choose to consume meat for your iodine. (They are also a great source of iron, folate, and several important vitamins.) There are 14 micrograms of iodine in a three-ounce portion of liver.
- Eggs
In addition to being a wonderful way to start the day, humble eggs can be a simple method to get iodine. A large egg has a lot of other nutrients including 31 micrograms of iodine.