Iodine is an important nutrient for the human body. It has numerous benefits which include removing toxins, increasing energy and protecting against radioactive materials. There are a number of people who suffer from an iodine deficiency and it has an impact on their health and wellbeing. It is possible to boost iodine content in your diet by consuming foods like seafood and seaweed. You can also consider taking iodine supplements if the levels of iodine remain low. You need to focus on iodine rich foods instead of increasing the content of sodium through salt heavy foods.
Iodine is not as abundant as we would like it to be but it certainly has some properties which make it extremely useful to human body. It helps build organic compounds and is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Iodine is crucial for the production of thyroid hormone and the body does not make it on its own. This is why it should be an important part of your diet.
Health benefits of iodine
Energy
You do not need to go to a doctor to identify if there is iodine deficiency in your body. Iodine is known to be a good energizer and it is effective in breaking fats and carbohydrates inside the system. This can be successfully accomplished by helping the body metabolism maintain consistency. When you support the metabolic activity in your body, it becomes more efficient at processing the nutrients and minerals in the diet while delaying the absorption of fat. If your level of energy is up, the body will be better suited to any activity and will be able to achieve more in a day. You will manage to combat lethargy which results from a slow metabolism.
Toxin removal
One of the biggest benefits of iodine is that its high atomic number will allow it to bind to the toxins well. It extends to different bacteria as well. This will help in pulling the heavy metals out of your body and it supports in the process of eradication of the bacteria that causes ulcers and gastrointestinal issues.
Anti-cancer agent
When the cells inside the thyroid go through mutations, thyroid cancer happens. These mutations will allow the cells to grow and multiply at a quick pace. The abnormal cells then form a tumor and invade the nearby tissues. It can spread throughout the body. Iodine ensures normal cell functionality and will support the die off of the cells in the thyroid. You can learn more about it on https://microbeformulas.com/blogs/microbe-formulas/5-bonus-benefits-of-iodine.
Juvenile cognitive development
A deficiency of iodine during childhood can result in adverse cognitive and physiological deficiencies. It is important to give iodine supplements to children who have mild iodine deficiency to improve their overall cognitive function and to enhance their reasoning abilities. Children who live in iodine deficient areas need to take iodine supplements for their overall development.
There are numerous benefits of iodine in the body and inadequate iodine in the body can prevent numerous functions from occurring in the body. If you know the symptoms of low iodine, you can make the difference between a weight gain and sudden weight loss or fatigue. It is important for you to understand the importance of iodine in human body in order to ensure that you consume adequate amounts of the same.
How can you get iodine?
Apart from different foods, you can get iodine from supplements. Majority foods might already be a part of your diet and they contain adequate amount of iodine. Seaweed contains maximum amount of iodine but there are many other foods you can consume in place of seaweed. These include cheese, cranberries, cod, milk, turkey breast, boiled eggs, tuna, baked potato, dried seaweed, squid, white bread, walnut, peas, shrimp, pineapple guava, squid, garlic, salmon steak, mussels, persimmon, sea bass and carrot.
The amount of iodine essential for human body will depend on the age of the individual and their activity level. Most humans have about 15-20 mg of iodine which is present inside the thyroid gland and adults require about 150 mcg of iodine on a daily basis. Pregnant women need almost double the amount and if you think you are not receiving adequate iodine from the food you consume, you need to take supplements after seeking medical advice. You also need to remember that high doses of iodine can be dangerous and the ones with autoimmune disease or hyperthyroidism should stay away from heavy doses.
Iodine can be easily stripped through the exposure to chlorine, bromine and fluoride. There are even vegetables like cauliflower, brussel sprouts, turnips, watercress, kale, broccoli and rashness which can block the absorption of iodine. Hence, you need to be mindful of how often you consume them. An easier way to absorb iodine from the food is to cook them properly and understand the impact of cooking methods on iodine absorption.
Consumption of high sodium foods at a restaurant is also not the ultimate way to increase iodine in the body. There are some restaurants which use iodized salt which means the salt consumption will rise but you will not receive any benefits of iodine in the body. You need to have more than half a teaspoon of iodized salt everyday in order to get the iodine from salt. It is highly recommended to opt for iodine rich food for your regular diet. The geographical area where you reside will also play a significant role in the amount of iodine you receive in your diet. Most countries highly recommend the citizens to use iodized salt in order to ensure that they get the necessary supply of it. You need to consume iodine rich foods and use iodized salt to season the food after it is cooked. Lastly, iodine supplements can also be useful if you need significant amount of iodine in your body or if you are pregnant and have been recommended to take the supplements by the doctor.
