Widespread iodine deficiency
In Italy there are about 6 million people with thyroid problems, even if they are mainly non-serious and treatable pathologies, which however are on the increase. According to the World Health Organization, the nutritional deficiency of the element iodine, the “gasoline” of the thyroid gland is alarming. The daily requirement of an adult is about 150 micrograms.
The importance of iodine
Why is iodine in the diet so important? The element is the essential constituent of thyroid hormones, in practice it is the “gasoline” of the thyroid. These hormones have two main roles: the control of metabolism and the stimulation of growth in the child. In the fetus and newborn, their deficiency leads to irreversible neurological damage of the central nervous system.
The iodized salt
The thyroid gland can work too little (hypothyroidism), or too much (hyperthyroidism), with consequent problems. It is important to act on nutrition and above all to know which foods are rich in iodine and the (dietary) behaviors to adopt in order not to have problems.
Generally the advice is to follow a varied and balanced diet and replace common sea salt with iodized salt (the motto is: a little salt but iodized, because high salt intakes would increase the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease). It is table salt to which iodine salts have been added. With 3 grams of iodized salt a day, iodine sufficiency is reached, without exceeding the recommended dose of salt which is equal to 5 grams a day.
Can iodized salt prevent lumps from forming?
TRUE – The possibility is greatly reduced: in Switzerland and Austria, countries far from the sea and poor in iodine in soil and water, the incidence of goiter reached 90 percent in the past and today, thanks to the widespread use of salt iodate, dropped to 10 percent.
Does going to the beach help to avoid the risk of iodine deficiency?
FALSE – The sea is rich in iodine, but the one breathed in is not absorbed in a useful way. However, it is true that on the coast it is more probable to eat fish and shellfish in abundance and therefore to improve the income with food.
Does industrial power help?
TRUE – The foods sold in supermarkets can come from places where the iodine in the ground is high, moreover iodine is widely used for the disinfection of many products; the result is an overall more homogeneous diet compared to that of those who eat only zero kilometer foods, if these come from areas where the soil is very low in iodine.
Foods that come from the sea
Foods known for their high iodine content are algae, crustaceans, molluscs, sea fish (but also fish reared in fresh waters with feed rich in algae). When cooked, the fish “gives up” a certain percentage of the mineral: more than half when boiled, less when grilled. Instead, no losses with freezing. Green light then to the consumption of raw fish with the appropriate precautions.
How much iodine? It depends on the terrain
There is also iodine in cow’s milk, yoghurt, fresh cheese, eggs and some types of exotic fruit.
What about meat, vegetables, grains and fruit? They contain what they absorb from the soil, so it’s difficult to say a priori how much it could be because a lot depends on how the soil has been treated or how the animal has been fed.
Iodine potatoes
The amount of iodine in enriched carrots and iodized potatoes (which contain 50-100 micrograms per 200 gram portion) is much more abundant.
Factors that interfere with the absorption of iodine
It especially affects those who already suffer from thyroid disease or exceed with foods rich in endocrine disruptors (IE). Among these, we find thiocyanates, present above all in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower; however with cooking the thiocyanates are, at least in part, destroyed. Other interferents are: heavy metals, herbicides, plasticizers, cigarette smoke.