10 Iodine Rich Foods

By mame

Reviewed: dr. vanta

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. 'Iodine in Diet: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia' MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002421.htm
• 2. Gunnarsdottir, Ingibjörg, et al. 'Iodine Intake and Status in Iceland through a Period of 60 Years.' Food & Nutrition Research, CoAction Publishing, 27 May 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2691155/
• 3. Yeh, Tai Sheng, et al. 'Analysis of Iodine Content in Seaweed by GC-ECD and Estimation of Iodine Intake.' Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, No Longer Published by Elsevier, 17 Feb. 2014, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1021949814000155
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• 6. Aquaron R;Delange F;Marchal P;Lognoné V;Ninane L; 'Bioavailability of Seaweed Iodine in Human Beings.' Cellular and Molecular Biology (Noisy-Le-Grand, France), U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12146713/

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Despite concentrated efforts in the last two decades to eliminate iodine deficiency, it still lingers in many parts of the world. Iodine is an essential mineral essential to optimal thyroid hormone production.¹‘Iodine in Diet: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia’ MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002421.htm The thyroid hormones are required for energy metabolism and several other crucial bodily functions, including proper brain and bone development.

Iodine does not naturally occur in many foods. Additionally, a food's iodine content will depend on varying factors, including the content of the soil and seawater where it's grown. Fortunately, many foods that are rich in iodine are widely available globally and many households use iodized salt.

Seaweed

Edible seaweeds, including nori, wakame and kombu kelp, are some of the best sources of this essential mineral. One study found that kombu contains the highest amount of iodine compared to other seaweeds.³Yeh, Tai Sheng, et al. ‘Analysis of Iodine Content in Seaweed by GC-ECD and Estimation of Iodine Intake.’ Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, No Longer Published by Elsevier, 17 Feb. 2014, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1021949814000155 This type of brown seaweed is sold as a fine powder or dried and is often used to make dashi, a Japanese soup stock.

Wakame, used in miso soup, is another type of brown seaweed rich in iodine. As a red type of seaweed, Nori has a lower content of iodine but is still a good source. The amount of iodine in all seaweeds will depend on where it is grown.