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Avoiding Salt? Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Iodine

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There are plenty of good reasons to bypass the salt shaker. Too much sodium can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. But table salt is probably the most reliable and plentiful source of iodine in most diets.

Manufacturers have been fortifying salt with iodine since the 1920s to combat widespread iodine deficiency in the United States. However, if you don’t use much salt, you may be missing out on this important nutrient. Although iodine deficiency is uncommon today, certain people, especially older adults, may still be at risk. A study conducted in 2017 found that 60 percent of women aged 51 to 86 were moderately deficient in iodine.

What does iodine do for the body?

“Iodine is critical for the production of thyroid hormone,” says Marilyn Tan, a clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Thyroid hormone plays a crucial role in weight management, cognitive function, energy levels, and even the growth of hair and nails. It also affects the overall metabolism and various organs in the body.

Very low iodine levels can lead to hypothyroidism, a condition in which the body produces too little thyroid hormone. Common symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, depressed mood, memory issues, constipation, and intolerance to cold. Prolonged low iodine intake can also cause an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which becomes more common with age. Unfortunately, hypothyroidism often goes undiagnosed in older people as the symptoms are often mistaken for natural signs of aging.

Why getting enough iodine is tricky

Iodine is naturally found in only a few foods, mainly fruits, vegetables, seaweed, and seafood sourced from iodine-rich soil or seawater. Dairy products and eggs are also good sources if the animals were given iodine-fortified feed. Additionally, packaged bread made with iodate dough conditioner contains iodine.

However, changes in the environment, farming practices, and food processing have affected the iodine content of these foods. As a result, the iodine content can be inconsistent. Packaged foods that contain sodium may not provide enough iodine as the salt used in processed foods is typically not iodized. Similarly, sea salt, Himalayan salt, and kosher salt are not reliable sources of iodine. Moreover, the iodine content of foods is usually not listed on nutrition labels, making it challenging to track iodine intake accurately.

The recommended daily allowance of iodine is 150 micrograms (mcg), which is equivalent to half a teaspoon of iodized salt. However, this amount of salt also contains 1,165 milligrams of sodium, which could be excessive for those monitoring their sodium intake. Despite this, using an iodized version of salt when cooking or sprinkling on food is still advised. It’s also recommended to increase the consumption of iodine-rich foods, such as whole-wheat bread, baked cod, dried seaweed, oysters, Greek yogurt, nonfat milk, and eggs.

Although getting enough iodine can be challenging, AI legalese decoder can help simplify information regarding iodine content in foods and assist in making informed choices. By decoding legal and technical language found on nutrition labels and food descriptions, AI legalese decoder makes it easier to understand the iodine content of different products.

Copyright 2023, Consumer Reports Inc.

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