Taking an adequate iodine level in our diet is so important for our health and fitness; but nowadays we all have epidemic iodine deficiency level.

Why? There is more than one reason:

. The iodized salt we use at home doesn’t contain the sufficiency iodine level which is stated on the container by manufacturer; because iodine is volatile and it must be kept in dry and a cool place. And that doesn’t happen from the time which the salt is produced. And for the processed food or restaurant food, they don’t often use iodized salt.

. The milk produced these days undergoes different production process which destroys most of the iodine content, because they use now another methods to disinfect cow milk such as antibiotics instead of iodine and in addition they use less iodine in cows feed supplement.

. Another source of iodine was the bread; where bakeries used iodized based for a long shelf time but now; they use bromated base.

So, what happens when iodine level is too lower?

Everyone is aware that iodine is required to produce thyroid hormones, so if levels are too low people suffer hypothyroidism.  This is one reason the incidence of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism affects 10-15% of the population, especially women. And consequently, that’s may contribute to obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychiatric disorders, and fibromyalgia.

And for pregnant women this is too dangerous because it may affect fetuses and children lead to impaired mental development.

Research has now shown an increased incidence of fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer.

So, we have to take an iodine supplement and increase eating food containing iodine like:

Concentrated food sources of iodine include sea vegetables, yogurt, cow’s milk, eggs, strawberries and mozzarella cheese. Fish and shellfish can also be concentrated sources of iodine.

For serving size for specific foods, see Nutrient Rating Chart below: