Products containing iodine for the thyroid gland are an essential part of the diet for many pathological conditions of the body, as well as at the risk of developing diseases. Iodine is one of the trace elements that our body needs. It is absorbed by the cells of the thyroid gland and is part of its secretion. Thyroid hormones play a critical role in metabolic processes. The group of iodine-containing hormones includes the so-called thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (which contains three iodine atoms in its molecule) and thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine (which contains four iodine atoms and is a chemical precursor of triiodothyronine ).
Who needs iodine-containing thyroid foods ?
Iodine enters our body with food. The content of a trace element in the human body is 20 – 50 mg. The daily requirement for a trace element varies depending on the age, weight and condition of the person (Table 1). If we calculate the daily requirement for a trace element by weight, then it is about 3 μg per 1 kg of body weight.
Table 1 – Daily iodine requirement
| Age / condition | Daily requirement, mcg |
| Children under 2 years old | fifty |
| Children 2 – 6 years old | 90 |
| Children 6 – 12 years old | 120 |
| Children over 12 years old and adults | 150 – 200 |
| Women during pregnancy and lactation | 250 |
With an insufficient iodine content in the body, the synthesis of thyroid hormones is disrupted , and, as a result, metabolic disruptions occur.
Doctors recommend enriching the diet with iodine-containing foods for the following population groups:
- people living in iodine-deficient areas (regions where there is an insufficient iodine content in soil and water);
- women during pregnancy and lactation (these conditions are accompanied by an increased need for the element);
- adolescents during puberty ( thyroid hormones play an important role in the development, growth and puberty of the body);
- women in the postmenopausal period (hormone imbalance increases a woman’s predisposition to the development of endocrine and other diseases);
- people with insufficient iodine in the body or suffering from primary ( thyrogenic ) hypothyroidism.
In the first four cases, the consumption of iodine-containing foods for the thyroid gland has a preventive purpose. In the latter, it is part of the treatment. Moreover, a diet for hypothyroidism can both complement drug treatment and have an independent therapeutic effect in the initial stages of the disease.
Products containing iodine
Many people know that the highest iodine content is in seafood. This applies not only to fish, but also to other inhabitants of the deep sea, including algae.
In each food group, one can find those that are rich in the element and correspond to our gastronomic preferences.
Let’s consider the main ones.
Seafood containing iodine:
- shellfish (squid, octopus, mussels, oysters, scallops (not to be confused with coral mushroom));
- arthropods (shrimp, crabs, lobsters);
- fish (flounder, herring, mackerel, cod (including its liver), halibut, tuna, salmon, salmon, sea bass);
- algae (kelp, better known as seaweed, edible red algae – nori ).
Vegetables and cereals containing iodine:
- white cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, asparagus, lettuce;
- nightshades (sweet peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes);
- carrots, beets, turnips, radishes;
- garlic, onions,
- cereals (buckwheat, oats, wheat, rye);
- legumes (peas, beans, peanuts);
- nuts (walnuts).
Berries and fruits containing iodine:
- feijoa;
- bananas;
- persimmon;
- Strawberry;
- plum;
- cranberry;
- grapes;
- chokeberry;
- lemon;
- orange;
- melon;
- a pineapple.
Animal products containing iodine:
- eggs;
- beef;
- milk;
- butter;
- cheese;
- sour cream;
- kefir.
Please note that the richest in iodine are those that are grown either in the sea or in an area where the sea is nearby. River fish also contains this trace element, but in smaller quantities than sea fish.
It should be noted that this element is quite volatile. During heat treatment or long-term storage, it partially or completely evaporates. Therefore, vegetables and fruits containing iodine should be eaten fresh. Iodine foods for the thyroid gland that require mandatory heat treatment are best steamed or simmered for a short period of time. Boiling and frying will deprive food of a valuable ingredient.
Increasingly, on the shelves of grocery stores, we find ready-made iodine-containing products for the thyroid gland or semi-finished products artificially enriched with a microelement: bread, baby food, etc. You can also add iodized salt to your diet. The shelf life of such salt is limited, so it is better to use it immediately, for example, salt a slice of tomato with it. Iodine can also be obtained by taking special supplements and preparations: potassium iodide, fish oil. In organic form and from food, iodine is absorbed much better than from inorganic salts.
Including foods containing iodine in the diet, it must be borne in mind that an excess of the trace element can also provoke a number of health problems. Therefore, in order to make up for the lack of a trace element in your body, you just need to diversify the menu and add sea fish, vegetables and fruits containing iodine to it every day. When dieting, rely on the iodine “rating” table (Table 2) and the age-appropriate daily micronutrient requirement.
Table 2 – The content of iodine in food
| Product | Iodine content, μg / 100 g of product |
| Fish fat | 700 |
| Cod liver | 370 |
| Feijoa | 350 |
| Squid | 300 |
| Seaweed | 300 |
| Haddock | 245 |
| Freshwater fish | 240 |
| Salmon | 200 |
| Shrimp | 190 |
| Flounder | 190 |
| Pollock | 150 |
| Mackerel | 145 |
| Sea bass | 145 |
| Cod | 130 |
| Herring | 70-90 |
| Apples | 70 |
| Oysters | 60 |
| Feld salad | 65 |
| Tuna | fifty |
| Persimmon | thirty |
| Oats | twenty |
| Champignon | 18 |
| Egg yolk | 18 |
| Pork | 17 |
| Milk | 15 – 20 |
| Broccoli | 15 |
| Beans | 12 |
| Beef | 12 |
| Spinach | 12 |
| Peas | eleven |
| Cheese | eleven |
| Butter | 8 – 10 |
| Wheat bread | nine |
| Soy | 8 |
| Radish | 8 |
| Grapes | 8 |
| Beet | 7 |
| Carrot | 6 – 7 |
| Cabbage | 6 – 7 |
| A hen | 6 |
| Potatoes | 5 – 6 |
| Chocolate | 5 – 6 |
| Bow | five |
| Buckwheat | 3 – 4 |
| Sorrel | 3 |
| Fruit | 2 – 6 |
However, there are hazardous iodine-containing foods. For the thyroid gland, which is prone to overgrowth, foods containing strumogenic substances are undesirable . Among them are cauliflower, broccoli, radish, turnip, radish, spinach, beans, carrots, soybeans, peanuts. The use of these products is not recommended for people suffering from endemic goiter and other pathologies associated with diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland. They contain substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones, as a result of which the level of thyrotropin increases .