Inhabitants of areas far from the sea are very often deficient in iodine – an extremely important element for health and good functioning of the body. This microelement is an integral part of thyroid hormones and participates in the development of all organs and systems: hormones regulate the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the activity of the nervous system, heart and blood vessels.
So, the lack of iodine affects our health negatively: a person feels a breakdown, decreased performance, drowsiness, and swelling of the extremities develops. Cholesterol rises and metabolism is disturbed, attention decreases, mental reactions slow down.
Therefore, it is so important to get iodine in the right amount. But in addition to iodine, the diet and the body must contain elements that facilitate the absorption and assimilation of this important trace element. Such as:
- Calcium;
- Selenium;
- Iron;
- Copper;
- Magnesium;
- Zinc;
- Vitamins E, A and C.
There are also foods that interfere with the absorption of iodine. It is better not to combine them with iodine products within one lunch. These are cauliflower and red cabbage, turnip, radish, mustard, rutabaga, soy.
Daily rate
An adult needs to receive up to 150 mcg of iodine per day, and up to 200 mcg for pregnant and lactating women. And you need to get it from food, since iodine is not synthesized in the body. So nutritionists recommend using iodized salt and not forgetting iodine-containing foods.
Moreover, it is not at all necessary to buy expensive products, iodine is also contained in the simplest food, which will cost even less than vitamins from a pharmacy.
Five Inexpensive Iodine-Rich Foods
Seaweed
The daily intake of iodine is contained in 70-100 g of cabbage. Not surprisingly, seaweed smells like a bottle of iodine. At the same time, the calorie content of seaweed is only 25 kilocalories. In addition, seaweed contains vitamins A, E, C, group B, as well as iron and magnesium.
Hake
100 grams of hake fillets contain 160 mgq of valuable iodine. In addition to it, this modest fish contains a rare and vital vitamin B12 (only 100 g of hake will give 80% of the daily value), vitamin D and vitamin PP. There is a lot of phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, as well as chromium and cobalt in hake. Many trace elements contained in it help the absorption of iodine.
Haddock
Another inexpensive, but extremely healthy and very tasty fish. Haddock contains about 160 mcg of iodine. It looks a bit like cod, since it is a relative of it, but it costs less, and it can be even better in quality, since it rarely comes across dry and frozen, and with a crack, alas, this happens often. Haddock has valuable and highly digestible proteins, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and also contains selenium and phosphorus.
Potatoes
A large portion of mashed potatoes – and two-thirds of the daily requirement for iodine is covered, since 100 grams of potatoes contains 60 μg of this element. Although it is best to cook potatoes in the oven without peeling. So nutrients are better preserved in it. And there are a lot of them in potatoes – in addition to iodine, there is also potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, an element very important for our immunity. There is also vitamin C. The greatest amount of nutrients in potatoes is found in the fall.
Feijoa
100 grams of this fruit contains 70 mcg of iodine. Feijoa grows in marine areas. In most cases, this berry comes to us from the Black Sea coast, from Sochi or the Crimea. Feijoa contains a lot of substances useful for human health. Ripe fruits are rich in vitamins C, E, PP, group B, trace elements, pectins, flavonoids, and fiber. The fruits contain organic acids, including malic acid, citric acid, and 5 essential amino acids. The plus of feijoa is that the berry can be eaten raw, which means that all the iodine will be stored in it and will not be destroyed during heat treatment, as is the case with fish.
Destruction of iodine
It must be borne in mind that when heated, iodine is destroyed. 190 mcg is found only in raw shrimp. By the way, they are often eaten raw, if, of course, a good and fresh product comes across. Boiled shrimp already contains 110 mcg of iodine, while fried prawns contain very little, only 11. So it’s better to eat raw persimmons or feijoa than a full plate of fried fish.
Excess iodine in the body
It is no less dangerous than its deficiency, and entails irritability, weakness, sweating, emaciation, a tendency to diarrhea, early graying, muscle atrophy. An excess of iodine is dangerous for various diseases of the thyroid gland; Graves’ disease with goiter can develop.
If you are fond of seafood and the use of iodized salt, then you should consult a doctor and get tested for iodine content. Perhaps you do not have a deficit, but an overabundance of this element. There is no need to self-medicate, only a doctor can recommend the correct diet.
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