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Iodine where contains more. List of iodine-rich foods that are good for the thyroid gland. Buckwheat in field conditions

Iodine is a simple substance that is not produced by the body. A person must receive it daily with food. The intake of products containing iodine is necessary to maintain the physiological concentration of the microelement in the blood, to ensure metabolic processes in organs and tissues.

Part of the iodine (5%) comes from breathing. Sea air is especially saturated with ions. Another 5% comes with water. But a person receives the main part of useful iodine from food (90%).

To create a menu that takes into account the need for iodine, you need to know which foods contain it the most. In addition, the content of the element in food largely depends on the quality of the soil on which vegetables, cereals, and livestock feed were grown.

Seafood iodine champions. Algae, fish, shellfish accumulate iodine, maximum amount it is accumulated by fucus algae, kelp (seaweed).

We offer a table that will help you make a diet, taking into account foods containing high concentrations of iodine.

Iodine in animal products (mcg)

Seafood, fish

cod liver (100 g)

shrimps

hake, pollock

catfish, tuna

Meat, egg

beef

Dairy

In herbal products (mcg)

Kelp

Berries

currant

gooseberry

Vegetables

tomatoes

potato

eggplant

Fruit

grape

cereals

buckwheat

wheat

Mushrooms

champignon

Before making changes to your usual diet, it is advisable to visit an endocrinologist to find out whether it is necessary to introduce foods rich in iodine into the menu.

Both deficiency and excess of this substance can harm health. If the concentration of this substance deviates from the norm, control of the endocrinologist is required. The most accurate picture of the state of the thyroid gland gives a study on its hormones.

daily requirement

On average, an adult requires up to 150 mcg of iodine per day, women during pregnancy and lactation - up to 200 mcg, children - from 70 mcg at 3 years to 120 mcg at 12 years.

The daily requirement is also calculated in another way, according to the formula: multiply 2-4 mcg by body weight, which for an adult will average 150-300 mcg per day.

Features of assimilation

It is important not only the amount of microelement supplied with food, but also how fully it is absorbed by the body. Interfere with the absorption of the microelement in the intestines strumogenic - contributing to an increase in the thyroid gland, plants, which include:

cruciferous family - cauliflower, white cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, turnips, radishes, mustard;
corn, soybeans, millet, peanuts, beans, sorghum, peaches,

The human body needs iodine to function properly. This element is involved in many processes and is an indispensable substance for the operation of certain organs and systems. This article will look at foods that contain a large amount of iodine.

What is iodine?

First you need to understand the terminology. So what is iodine? First of all, it is a chemical element, which in its natural form is a solid, and not a liquid, as everyone is used to seeing. Liquid iodine - medical. It should also be noted that in this form, this element can even be dangerous to human health.

Iodine is found in almost everything that surrounds us, even in water and air. The maximum in natural conditions this element is found precisely in sea salt water, a little less, but still in large quantities in the air and soil of marine regions. But still, a person receives the greatest amount of iodine from food and only then - from environment.

Norms

Before considering products containing a lot of iodine, it must be said that in the human body this microelement is approximately 25-30 mg. As mentioned above, the main source of its replenishment is food. However, it should be noted that during long-term storage, food loses its beneficial features, and the amount of iodine in it is much reduced. This must be taken into account when calculating the daily dose of consumption of a particular food product.

It should also be noted that medicine is too often in recent times insists that modern humanity is increasingly suffering from iodine deficiency. That is why a lot of purchased food today is enriched with this element, which allows you to get the normal amount of iodine needed by the body. This component can also be obtained from vitamins or dietary supplements, but before using them, it is still better to consult with your doctor (this is important, because you also need to avoid an excess of iodine in the body).

Iodine: benefits

Foods containing iodine are essential for humans. After all, the work of many body systems, as well as various organs, depends on this element. What exactly is iodine for?

Iodine is essential for the functioning of the thyroid gland. It is here that this microelement is concentrated more than in all organs taken together. Thus, iodine-containing hormones regulate the functioning of multiple organs, and also have a positive effect on metabolism.
The nervous system and brain also require a certain amount of iodine to function properly.
Both men and women need iodine for the normal functioning of the reproductive system.
This microelement helps to fight excess fat deposition in the body.
And, of course, iodine is simply necessary for the normal condition of hair, skin, nails.

Iodine is also essential for various categories of the population.

Pregnant women need it for normal growth and development of the fetus.
Iodine is simply necessary for sufficient mental and physical development of both the youngest children and older teenagers.

Amount of iodine intake

Before considering which foods contain iodine, it should be noted that daily dose the consumption of this trace element for an adult healthy person is approximately 100-150 mg. However, sometimes iodine intake needs to be increased. This must be done in the following cases:

During pregnancy and lactation.
With increased and frequent physical exertion (for example, in athletes).
If the environmental conditions are severe.
And, of course, if there are certain diseases that require an increase in the amount of iodine consumed.

Leaders in iodine content

So, it's time to finally consider foods containing iodine. The largest number This trace element is found in seafood. And to be as accurate as possible - in large brown algae, which is called kelp. To an ordinary person, it is better known as seaweed. This food product contains approximately 0.25% of this element. However, its content may vary depending on the collection period. In general, to maintain a normal amount of iodine in the body, about 200 g of this food should be eaten daily.

It is also worth noting that to increase the amount of iodine in the body, you need to eat shrimp, scallops, crabs, oysters, mussels, squid and other important seafood.

Fish

What other foods contain iodine? So, in a sufficiently large amount, this element is found in marine fish. If we talk about numbers, then on average there are about 75 mcg of iodine in it. In this case, you need to give preference to herring, flounder, cod, tuna, salmon, halibut and sea bass.

Separately, it should also be noted that a large amount of iodine is found in the liver of marine fish. Approximately 850 mcg. To replenish the supply of this element, you need to eat about 200 grams of this product daily. Fish oil also contains iodine, there are about 780 mcg of it.

There is little iodine in freshwater fish, about 10 mg per 100 grams of product.

Products artificially fortified with iodine

We understand further what foods contain iodine. If it is not possible to obtain this element from natural, natural foods, you can make up for its deficiency with food artificially enriched with iodine. Manufacturers are increasing the amount of this element in salt, baked goods and even dairy products.

Vegetables and fruits

The following foods also contain iodine in large quantities.

Fruits: banana, lemon, orange, watermelon, melon, grapes, apples, persimmons, strawberries.
Vegetables: eggplants, onions, garlic, radishes, potatoes, spinach, asparagus, tomatoes, carrots.

Other food

Other foods containing iodine in a sufficiently large amount:

Peanut.
Rape.
Sweet corn.
Champignons.
Beans.
Kefir.
Chocolate.

Tabular indicators

It is worth noting that science has considered in sufficient detail which foods contain iodine. The table of numerical indicators for your attention is presented below. After all, many people simply need to see the hierarchy of iodine-containing foods in order to choose the most delicious and healthy food for themselves.

Food product	The amount of iodine, in mcg



Shrimps

Condensed milk

Grape
Beef
Cow's milk
Chicken meat
Bread: white, rye

Antagonist Products

Having fully considered which foods contain iodine, listing them with an indication of the amount of this trace element per 100 grams of product, it is also worth mentioning that there is food that prevents the absorption of this trace element. What about these foodstuffs?

First of all, these are cruciferous vegetables. If there are problems with iodine deficiency, you need to give up cabbage for a while: broccoli, white cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. You should also stop consuming soy foods and flax seeds. And all because they can exacerbate iodine deficiency.

The consequences of a lack of iodine in the body

Iodine deficiency in the body is fraught with the following dangers and undesirable consequences:

A person's hearing and vision are impaired, memory is deteriorating.
There are also headaches and a feeling of constant fatigue.
Often, weight increases even with a completely normal diet and an active lifestyle.
Iodine deficiency is fraught with malfunctions in the reproductive system of both men and women - equally.
Of course, a lack of iodine is very dangerous for the thyroid gland. In this case, various violations of its work are possible.
If we talk about children and adolescents, then iodine deficiency can cause not only physical, but also mental retardation.

Consequences of an excess of iodine in the body

Having considered which foods contain iodine, it is worth saying that an excess of this element is as dangerous and unhealthy as a deficiency. So you need to increase the amount of iodine in the body competently, wisely. However, it is especially dangerous in cases where a person inhales its vapors for a long time, for example, in production. It is also fraught with negative consequences for too long taking vitamins or supplements generously enriched with iodine. Symptoms in this case will be very similar to food poisoning. Those. constant dizziness, nausea, headaches can be observed. Often there is a cough and upset of the gastrointestinal tract.

It should be noted that an excess of iodine is most often observed in women who are fond of taking brown kelp, i.e. seaweed. And all because this food product contains much more of this element than the human body requires.

Interesting and Useful Facts to Know About Iodine

Having determined which foods contain iodine, it is also worth mentioning that it is very important to get this element in sufficient quantities. No more and no less than is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Here are some useful facts about iodine:

Scientists say that goiter (i.e. enlargement of the thyroid gland) can occur not only due to iodine deficiency, but also due to excessive intake of this element in the body. So, if a patient has an increased activity of this organ, most often this leads to a slowdown in metabolism and, as a result, to weight gain. If there is a hypofunction of the thyroid gland, this often leads to increased metabolism and weight loss.
Iodine deficiency is very dangerous for infants, newborns. Therefore, nutritionists advise vegans (strict vegetarians) to closely monitor the intake of this trace element. Especially during the period of bearing a baby and feeding him breast milk.
Iodized salt is the salt to which the chemical element in question is added. It is worth noting that Americans today eat mostly iodized salt. Thus, they replenish the stocks of this element daily.
The salt found in condiments and various prepared foods is mostly non-iodized. If the manufacturer uses exactly iodized salt, he must write about this on the package.

It is also important to say that the well-known sea salt may not necessarily contain iodine. And its use is fraught with leaching of calcium from the body. In addition, it has the same effect on blood pressure as regular salt.

Our thyroid gland uses the iodine received through food and water, from which it then produces the hormones necessary for the body that regulate metabolism.

Thyroid cells are unique in that they are the only cells in the body that absorb iodine. Therefore, before RAI scanning and thyroid treatment, patients are shown a low-iodine diet, which is essentially simple, but requires some changes in the usual diet.

The most important rule of the diet is to eat foods that are low in iodine.

Iodine is used in the care and feeding of animals and as a stabilizer in the food industry. Therefore, it can be found in varying amounts in all foods and drinks.

The largest sources (and those to be avoided) are iodized salt, grains and cereals, some breads, sea fish, shellfish, beef, poultry, pudding mixes, milk and dairy products.

In many sources, the list of products without iodine can vary significantly. For example, some argue that only potato skins should be avoided when eating potatoes, while others are sure that all potatoes are strictly prohibited in this case! Who to believe?

Below is a list of foods based on a low iodine diet recommended by the National Institutes of Health and the Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association.

Prohibited foods (very high in iodine): list

Avoid the following foods on a low iodine diet:

Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, ice cream, sour cream)
egg yolks
Seafood (anything from the ocean should be avoided, including fish, shellfish, and seaweed)
Processed foods (pre-packaged frozen foods, deli meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, restaurant and fast food items)
Purchased bakery products (bread and all confectionery products)
Soy (including soybeans, soy sauce, tofu, and any other soy-based products)
Chocolate (milk chocolate contains dairy, although some dark chocolate may be acceptable)
Beans (especially red beans).

Allowed products (without iodine): list

This is more of a low iodine diet than an "iodized diet" or "no iodine diet". The goal is no more than 50 micrograms (mcg) of iodine per day.
The diet is followed for a short period of time, usually for 2 weeks (14 days) before a scan or radioactive iodine test.
Avoid foods and drinks that are high in iodine (more than 20 micrograms per serving).
Any foods and drinks with low iodine content (up to 5 micrograms per serving) are allowed. Limit the amount of foods even with a moderate content of iodine (from 5 to 20 micrograms per serving).

Type of products	Can	It is forbidden
	Protein foods that do not contain iodine include egg whites, fresh meat that has not been treated with preservatives or seasonings, game, and fresh poultry. Plant sources of protein that do not contain iodine include unsalted nuts and peanut butter, lentils and beans.	Marine fish, seafood, or dairy products are not allowed on an iodine-free diet.
	Unsalted pasta, rice, matzah and popcorn are allowed. Homemade bread made with non-iodized salt that does not contain butter or margarine are also allowed.	Keep in mind that most of the salt used in ready-to-eat foods is iodized, so it's best to purchase salt-free and sodium-free cereals, crackers, and breads.
	Most fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and their juices do not contain iodine. Exceptions are spinach, broccoli, rhubarb, maraschino cherries, and potato skins. Canned fruits such as peaches, pears and pineapples are fine.	Avoid canned and frozen vegetables with added salt as they contain iodine.
	Soft drinks, coffee and tea made with distilled water, nut milk, rice milk, non-dairy smoothies, beer, wine, and spirits are all fine on an iodine-free diet.	Do not add cream or milk to coffee or tea because they contain iodine; choose a non-dairy cream instead
	Other iodine-free foods include dairy-free margarine, vegetable oil, sugar, cocoa powder, marshmallows, dark chocolate, sorbet, simple gelatin, raisins, and caramel.

Below is a more detailed list of foods that are allowed on a low iodine diet:

Fresh meat (no more than 150-180 grams per day)
Fresh fruits and vegetables (peeled potatoes)
Frozen vegetables without added salt (except rhubarb)
Vegetable oils
Low-fat peanut butter and nuts
Coffee and tea (no creamer)
Homemade bread (no egg yolks, dairy, or iodized salt in the ingredients)
Fresh and dried herbs and spices, including pepper
Beer, wine, and distilled spirits (wine coolers and flavored liquors may contain red food coloring, which is prohibited)
Cereals, cereals and pasta without ingredients high in iodine
Canned fruits: pineapple and pears
Jams and jellies (no red dye)
Homemade low iodine bread or muffins
Oatmeal with cinnamon, honey and walnuts, fruits
Grilled fresh meat, vegetables, fresh fruits or baked apple
Salad with chicken or beef, oil and vinegar.

		Meat and fish
Asparagus (fresh)	Cherry (only fresh)	Freshwater fish (carp, river bass, lake trout, river perch)
Beet	Cranberries (half a cup)	fresh pork
Broccoli (fresh)	Grapefruit juice (half a cup)	Veal
Brussels sprouts	Lemon juice (half a cup)	fresh chicken
Avocado	Mango	Mutton
Carrot	Nectarine (1 small)
Corn	1 small orange or half a glass of orange juice
cucumbers	Peach (one medium, only fresh)
Eggplant	Pineapple (only canned)
green peppers	Pineapple juice (half a cup)
Green salad	Plum (2 medium)
Mushrooms
Peas
Potato
Radish
Swede
Spinach
Beans
Tomatoes

Iodine-free diet before radioiodine therapy: menu

Below provided sample menu with an iodine-free diet before radioactive iodine treatment. The menu is approximate and compiled conditionally for one day. It can be corrected by changing some products in places or replacing them with similar ones from the list of products with a minimum iodine content.

Breakfast

Any fruit juice
Egg without yolk
Oatmeal with your choice of cinnamon, honey, apples, walnuts, fruits
1 slice of bread - toast (homemade bread, no iodine)
Black coffee or tea.

Dinner

Rice soup with chicken
crackers
Brown rice with vegetables (fresh or frozen and cooked)
Fruit - fresh, frozen or canned
Black coffee or tea.

Dinner

150-180g roast beef, lamb, veal, pork or turkey
Potato - baked or fried
Vegetables (fresh or frozen)
Salad - fruits or vegetables - oil and vinegar
Black coffee or tea.

Snacks

Fresh fruit or juice
Dried fruits such as raisins
Fresh raw vegetables
Apple juice
nuts
Fruit juice
Unsalted crackers
Homemade bread and cupcakes.

If you wish, you can diversify your menu a little with these recipes:

blueberry muffins

125 ml. / half a glass of vegetable oil
125 g / half a cup of sugar
3 egg whites
500 g / 2 cups white flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon non-iodized salt
125 g blueberries - canned or fresh.
Beat sugar and butter with egg whites. Mix thoroughly. Add the blueberries to the mixture and shape into muffins or muffins (you can use muffin tins). Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes or until done (you can check with wooden toothpicks - if you pierce the cake with a toothpick, it should come out dry and clean). Recipe for 12 cupcakes.

Pancakes

2 egg whites
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
250 g flour (plain/whole wheat)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
125 ml. water.
Beat two egg whites with sugar, then add vanilla and stir in the rest of the ingredients, then add water to get the desired dough consistency. Put a couple of tablespoons on a greased non-stick frying pan and roll it over its entire surface. You should get about 8-10 pancakes. Serve hot with jam, honey or maple syrup.

chicken salsa

60 g boiled chicken fillet cut into cubes
1 finely chopped tomato
Half a red onion chopped
avocado cubes
Sliced green pepper
Half a teaspoon of olive oil
Pepper and chili (optional) to taste.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl to make a salad. Serve with baked potatoes or pita bread.

beef curry

1 kg veal cut into cubes
3 medium potatoes
1 red pepper chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons garam masala (Indian spice)
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 glass of water
Non-iodized salt to taste.
Fry the onion and garlic for 1 minute in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add meat cubes and potatoes and fry, stirring well. Sprinkle meat and potatoes with garam masal. Mix well and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and keep stirring until the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan; then you need to add about 1 cup of water, salt to taste, cover and cook until the meat is ready and the mixture thickens a little - about 20 minutes. Serve with rice.
This recipe can also be made with cubes chicken breast.

Pasta with basil

4 garlic cloves
6 tablespoons pine nuts
Salt
Pepper
1 large fresh basil
6 tablespoons of olive oil.
Throw all the ingredients in a blender, mix them, and then add the resulting slurry to freshly boiled pasta.

Fried vegetables

Cherry tomatoes
Sliced green, red and yellow peppers
Medium red onion, quartered
2 large mushrooms, cut in half
Olive oil (or sunflower)
A little balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried basil
Place all ingredients in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and add balsamic vinegar. Bake in oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

chicken chauffeur

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless chicken breast halves
2 shallots - finely chopped
250 g mushrooms
1 garlic clove - minced
2 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded, chopped
Half a teaspoon of tarragon
Half a teaspoon of salt
Quarter teaspoon black pepper
Half a glass of dry white wine
Half a cup of chicken broth
1 tablespoon corn flour dissolved in 2 tablespoons water.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and fry the chicken in it until browned, about 10 minutes. In another skillet, fry shallots - cook 1 minute to soften them, add mushrooms to it and fry until lightly browned - about 3 minutes.
Add garlic, tomatoes, tarragon, salt and pepper and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add wine and beef broth, as well as fried chicken, cover and simmer until cooked through for another 20 minutes.
After that, you need to pull out the chicken again, and add cornmeal to the sauce. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1-2 minutes, then return the chicken to the resulting sauce. Serve with potatoes and green vegetables.

Vegetable soup

3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots, chopped
4 cups of water
4 cups tomato sauce
1 cup white beans or kidney beans (cooked)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
Half a teaspoon of non-iodized salt and pepper
Half a cup of pasta.
Sauté the garlic and onion in a large sauté pan for about 8 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook for 4 more minutes. Add water and tomato sauce and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and add white beans and spices. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Separately, boil the pasta, which, when served, add to the soup.

Sample menu for 14 days

Using the above recipes and using this table, you can create your own menu for the entire diet period:

	Breakfast	Dinner	Dessert
Day 1	Hot oatmeal or wheat porridge with honey or brown sugar. Fresh fruits. Coffee or tea with lemon.	Spread fried garlic in olive oil on salt-free rice cakes, crackers or crackers. Homemade soup (for example, chicken or vegetables).	Fruits, Marshmallows, homemade popcorn
Day 2	Scrambled eggs made only from egg whites in vegetable oil, fried vegetables. Toast or rice crackers.	Homemade beef or vegetable stew	Popsicles (from 100% juice) Raw vegetables
Day 3	Fruit smoothie (fresh fruit mixed together). Pancakes (homemade) or dry cereal. Coffee or tea with lemon.	Homemade fried chicken. Fried potatoes or rice with olive oil. Stewed vegetables or homemade vegetable roast.	Fresh fruit + water / juice / homemade green tea with ice
Day 4	Homemade muffins or toast/crackers with jam or peanut butter. Fruit. Coffee or tea with lemon.		Dark Chocolate (no milk, salt or soy) Homemade sorbet (frozen fruit puree)
Day 5	Salad with homemade dressing Sandwich of bread without iodine and fried vegetables, peanut butter and jam, Homemade sliced beef or chicken. Avocado puree can be used as a substitute for mayonnaise.	Salad with homemade dressing Pasta and meatballs/meat sauce made with homemade tomato sauce or pasta with pesto.	Homemade cake or muffins + water juice/coffee/tea. Oatmeal cookies, almonds or coconut macaroons). Raw vegetables. Zephyr.

Iodine is a vital trace element for the body, responsible for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which, in turn, regulates growth and metabolism. Iodine deficiency often causes fatigue, high cholesterol levels, lethargy, depression, and even swelling of the thyroid gland. Foods rich in iodine will help prevent all of these phenomena. Here is some of them.

Baked potato

This dish is an excellent source of iodine. In the baked form, together with the skin, one contains approximately 60 micrograms, or 40% of the recommended daily allowance of the specified trace element. By the way, mashed potatoes noticeably lose in this indicator.

Cranberry

This aromatic berry with a pleasant "sourness" is known for its high concentration of vitamins C and K. It is also rich in iodine. Just one slice of cranberry pie and you will get your daily requirement of this mineral (up to 400 micrograms).

Prunes

Just five servings will give you the fiber, boron, vitamins A and K you need. Prunes are also a good source of iodine. One serving (5 servings) contains 13 mcg or 9% of the Daily Value of iodine for 120 calories.

Cod

Tender, juicy and simply incomparable. This fish is characterized by a low fat content and a good portion of iodine in its composition. One serving of cod (85 g) contains 99 micrograms of iodine, or 66% of the daily value.

Lobster

Lobster is rightfully considered the king of seafood, but, in addition to pleasant gastronomic experiences, it can make up for your body's iodine deficiency. One 100 gram serving provides up to 100 micrograms of iodine, or approximately 2/3 of the daily requirement.

Shrimps

Almost all seafood is rich in iodine, and shrimp is a great example. In one serving, you will find up to 35 micrograms of iodine, or slightly less than 1/4 of the norm. In addition, the shrimp are saturated nutritious protein and calcium.

canned tuna

When it comes to canned tuna, opt for canned tuna. They have the maximum amount of iodine: 17 mcg or 11% of the average norm per 85 g of the product. Another plus is high doses of protein, vitamin D and iron.

Fish sticks

Milk

Milk is most often remembered when the body needs to replenish its supply of calcium and vitamin D. In addition, the drink has an impressive amount of iodine: 56 micrograms or about 37% in one glass.

boiled eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are a versatile, healthy food that provides human body vitamins A and D, zinc, calcium, antioxidants and, of course, iodine. One such egg contains 12 micrograms, or slightly less than 10% of the daily requirement.

natural yogurt

Live yogurt is the leading healthy breakfast food. It is known for high doses of calcium and protein, as well as iodine. A standard cup of yogurt can provide 154 micrograms, or up to 58% of the daily requirement.

cheddar cheese

Cheddar cheese is another dairy product with a good concentration of iodine (one modest slice contains up to 12 micrograms). Like other cheeses, it has a high calorie content, so it is not suitable for diet food. You can replace it with a slightly less bold but no less useful one.

iodized salt

Iodized salt is perhaps the easiest way to add extra iodine to your diet (77 micrograms per gram of fortified table salt). True, current trends healthy eating take us further and further away from the tradition of salting and over-salting food. Some are even willing to eliminate sodium chloride from their diet entirely.

Himalayan salt

It differs from sea and table salt by its characteristic pink tint. Alternative name - halite. It contains much more useful trace elements, and it is better absorbed by the body. The recommended dosage is 0.5 g per day. At zero calories, this amount will give your body 250 micrograms of iodine, or more than 150% of the average daily requirement.

Bananas

Bananas are known for their high energy value and good potassium content. They also contain a certain amount of iodine: 3 mcg in one medium-sized fruit.

Strawberry

You may not know that strawberries are rich in iodine. One cup (200 g) of a fresh berry contains 13 micrograms of this mineral, or just under 10%. The energy value one serving: 46 calories.

Canned corn

Try canned corn. Just half a cup as a side dish for dinner will give you 14 micrograms of iodine.

Green bean

A classic serving of green beans (1/2 cup) contains 3 micrograms of iodine. This legume is an excellent source of potassium, ascorbic and folic acid.

sea beans

Sea beans are among the healthiest and most versatile foods on the planet. They are ready to provide you with solid amounts of amino acids, copper, potassium, calcium, folic acid, and iodine (32 mcg per ½ cup).

White bread

White bread, provided you eat it in moderation, can be an excellent source of iodine. Just 2 slices contain 45 micrograms of iodine, or 30% of the recommended daily allowance by nutritionists. Energy value: 132 calories.

Since the body is not able to synthesize the microelement in question on its own, it is extremely important to include iodine-rich foods in your diet. And the more varied they are, the better. Choose among fruits, vegetables, dairy products and seafood that you personally like.

It is no secret that the health of the thyroid gland largely depends on the concentration of iodine in the body. This trace element is an important component of thyroid hormones and plays a major role in the functioning of most internal organs and systems.

It is known that most of it enters the body with food. Which food has the most iodine? You will find out the answer to this question by reading our review and watching the video in this article.

Iodine is one of the essential substances for humans. This means that the body needs a daily intake of this microelement with food for normal functioning, and its deficiency can lead to serious health consequences. Why is he so important?

Absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, iodine is picked up by specialized transport proteins and transferred to the cells of the thyroid gland. Thyrocytes use it to synthesize the main thyroid hormones - thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), by attaching three or four iodine molecules to the tyrosine amino acid residue.

Subsequently, T3 and T4 are released into the blood and delivered when all cells human body. Their biological action is diverse and primarily based on the activity of iodine.

Thyroid hormones:

accelerate the synthesis of the polypeptide chain and ribonucleic residues in cells;
stimulate cell division, as well as the processes of growth and development;
strengthen the connection between the cells of the whole organism, improve the transmission of an electrochemical impulse between the neurons of the brain and spinal cord;
stimulate the development of higher nervous activity, improve memory, attention, ability to logical thinking;
start metabolic processes, contribute to active weight loss;
enhance gastrointestinal motility;
increase heat production;
stimulate the work of the heart (increase heart rate), increase vascular tone;
contribute to the removal of excess fluid from the body.

Therefore, it is extremely important that the body receives daily required amount iodine. It is not difficult to ensure the prevention of iodine deficiency conditions with your own hands, the main thing is to eat a balanced and varied diet with a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements. Below we will try to figure out which foods contain the most iodine.

Iodine Consumption Norms

It is extremely important to know which foods contain iodine in large quantities and how much they need to be eaten to maintain the balance of the trace element. To do this, you need to understand what the daily need of it in the body. For people, they are different and depend on gender, age characteristics and physical condition.

Age norms for iodine intake

The older a person gets, the more iodine he needs.

Below are the average daily norms according to the WHO recommendation:

Children under two years old - 50 mcg;
Children from two to six years old - 90 mcg;
Children from six to twelve years old - 120 mcg;
Adolescents from twelve years old and adults - 150-200 mcg.

It's important to emphasize. Pregnant girls should consume iodine with food at least 250 mcg per day.

Breast-feeding

Newborns receive iodine with mother's milk, the concentration of the trace element depends on her diet. Several studies have been conducted and it has been found that the average value is above the required norm.

Signs of iodine deficiency

In order to understand whether you are consuming enough trace elements, we will name the main signs indicating a lack of iodine in the body.

You should pay attention if:

you feel constant fatigue, weakness, get tired quickly;
you become more irritable than before;
notice that they began to remember badly;
mental work has become difficult for you;
began to gain weight faster;

Important! Failure of the menstrual cycle is one of the signs of iodine deficiency.

It is possible to determine whether a sufficient amount of a microelement is contained in the body with the help of a couple of simple tests.

Instructions for their implementation:

A cotton swab is dipped in a solution of iodine in alcohol and with its help a mesh is applied to the skin anywhere except for the projection of the thyroid gland. The result is monitored in a day. If the grid is missing, then there is an iodine deficiency, and if it remains, then everything is in order.
Before going to bed on the skin of the forearm, with the help of iodine solution, 3 lines of different thicknesses are drawn. The result is estimated by the number of disappeared lines. If by morning only the thinnest of the lines disappeared, then the iodine content in the body is normal. If two, then you need to urgently enrich the diet with these elements. Well, if all the lines have disappeared, then there is a serious iodine deficiency and it is worth visiting a doctor, since the cost of delay may be too high.

The most "iodine" products for health and well-being

In order for the thyroid gland to produce hormones smoothly, it is important to consume iodine-containing foods daily (see). The leaders in the content of the substance are seafood, in a smaller amount it is found in vegetables and fruits.

It is interesting. On a day, a healthy person needs about 100-150 micrograms, which is important for the thyroid gland. During pregnancy, this need increases to 200 micrograms. Although we do not eat even a teaspoon of pure iodine in our entire life, its value for the body is very high.

Seafood - natural sources of iodine

Sea water contains large reserves of iodine, so its inhabitants are considered the best sources of this trace element. Fresh squid, lobster, shrimp, caviar, mussels, oysters or scallops will easily satisfy the daily need for iodine, because its content in them ranges from 100 to 300 mcg (per 100 g).

If such delicacies do not appear on our table every day, then seaweed is not only affordable, but also very useful. Regular use of two tablespoons of salad from it will help you forget about the lack of iodine: its approximate content in the product is 300-350 mcg / 100 g.

Sea fish - horse mackerel, mackerel, herring, salmon, salmon, etc. - is another leader in the content of trace elements (50-70 mcg / 100 g).

It is interesting. Freshwater fish (crucian carp, pike, perch), especially those that have undergone prolonged heat treatment, contain almost no iodine: the concentration of the trace element in it is 5-10 μg / 100 g.

What vegetables and fruits contain iodine

Vegetables and fruits growing in iodine-friendly regions can also become food sources of the trace element. Some plants contain it to a greater extent, and some to a lesser extent. Which foods have the most iodine: the table will help you figure it out.

Table 1: Iodine content in plant foods:

Product	Iodine concentration, mcg/100 g
Cranberry	45
Persimmon	28
oats	21
Champignons	18,5
Broccoli	15
Fresh herbs (parsley, dill, lettuce)	10-15
Beans	12,55
Spinach	12
Peas	10,55
Rye	8,32
Beet	6,80
Carrot	6,7
Cabbage	6,5
Potato	5,76
Buckwheat	3,5

Thus, despite the relatively small amount of trace elements, it is possible to provide them with the body with the help of plant foods. Minimal heat treatment (if possible) and a varied diet will help preserve nutrients.

Note! The farther the region is located from the sea coast, the worse the water, soil and air are saturated with iodine. Therefore, in the plant food of the Central strip of Russia or the republics Central Asia the trace element content may be lower than indicated in the table.

Is there iodine in meat?

A small amount of iodine is determined in meat and animal products. The leaders among this group are presented in the table below.

Table 2: Iodine content in animal food:

Iodized salt - a large-scale solution to the problem of iodine deficiency

At the end of the twentieth century, one or another was diagnosed in 50-70% of the population of Russia. At this time, urgent measures were taken to improve the health of the population, and iodized salt began to appear on the shelves. And what is it?

Iodized salt is a chemical compound, which is ordinary table salt enriched with iodine ions (40±15 µg per 100 g of product). Since salt is used daily by almost all housewives for cooking, the state thus tried to prevent the development of new cases of endemic goiter.

Indeed, the first years of the introduction of iodized salt showed excellent results: the prevalence of iodine deficiency among the population decreased by 20%.

However, modern scientists note that this method of prevention remains imperfect:

It is difficult to track the daily intake of iodine in the body of each individual family member. It depends on food preferences and cooking habits.
The presence of the toxic effect of iodine ions in case of their excessive intake into the body along with salt.
Decreased saturation of salt with a microelement during long-term storage of an open pack (2 months or more).

Above, we tried to figure out where iodine is found the most, and what foods should be lean on in order to provide decent prevention of thyroid diseases and a large number of metabolic disorders. It is especially important to get a sufficient amount of the trace element for children, because it helps to grow and develop properly.

Pregnant women should not forget about the prevention of iodine deficiency (the instruction recommends that expectant mothers consume 150-200 micrograms of iodine daily). A varied and medically correct diet will allow a sufficient amount of the essential substance and avoid possible problems with health.

Biologically active supplements containing iodine

It is possible to fill the lack of iodine not only with the help of food, but also by using biologically. active additives, of which it is included. They are prescribed by a specialist (endocrinologist or therapist) for a preventive purpose, when the iodine content in the products is insufficient. The first group of dietary supplements includes preparations containing kelp (seaweed) in their composition.

For comparison: a drug containing iodine packaged in one box contains it in the same amount as 2 kg of enriched salt.

Despite the fact that dietary supplements are not medicines. You should not take them "on your own".

There are a number of contraindications, which include:

nodes in the tissues of the thyroid gland;
pathological autoimmune processes in the gland;
hyperfunction of the thyroid gland, accompanied by excessive secretion of hormones.

Dietary supplements undergo different quality examinations, which is reflected in the dosage of iodine. In other words, different drugs do not contain the same amount of iodine. The instructions attached to them should be studied before using even the most harmless dietary supplements.

If a person already has a history of thyroid disease associated with iodine deficiency, then not dietary supplements are needed, but full-fledged drugs that must be prescribed by a specialist (endocrinologist).

Features of culinary processing of iodine-containing products

Even if you know exactly which foods contain a lot of iodine, this is not enough to calculate the required amount to meet the daily requirement for this element. A lot depends on how the food is processed.

A person destroys most of the iodine with his own hands. The fact is that any heat treatment reduces the concentration of all nutrients at times. Regardless of whether the fish has been frozen, boiled or fried, it will retain only a fraction of the amount of iodine that could be extracted from a fresh product.

So, for example, in boiled meat there is 30-40% less iodine than in fresh meat. If you cook fried chops, its concentration is reduced by 50 - 70%. When culinary processing, this fact must be taken into account. However, sometimes such a decrease in concentration is beneficial, because you can encounter an excess of iodine, which also negatively affects human health.

These features must be taken into account when compiling a healthy diet. Choose those cooking methods that allow you to save the maximum benefit.

This includes steaming and baking. Some seafood and fish, as well as eggs and beef, can be eaten raw or with marinades. At the same time, you need to be sure of their quality and safety. Try to eat vegetables and fruits raw.