The normal functioning of the human body depends on a sufficient number of necessary trace elements. One of the most important is iodine. He is involved in the growth and development of the child, is responsible for the hormonal balance in the body and the normal functioning of all organs. But the difficulty is that it is not synthesized by the body. And you need to ensure a daily intake of at least 100-150 mg of iodine with food. When the nutrition is balanced, this problem does not occur. But modern man often uses low-quality and poor in trace elements foods. Therefore, you need to know what iodine is contained in large quantities, so as not to lack it. If you constantly include such products in your diet, many health problems can be avoided.
Why does the body need iodine
This is one of the most essential trace elements for the healthy functioning of all body cells. Iodine performs the following functions:
- normalizes the thyroid gland;
- participates in the production of necessary hormones;
- supports normal brain function;
- increases mental abilities;
- strengthens the immune system;
- regulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism;
- restores cells of the nervous system, increasing resistance to stress;
- improves the condition of the skin, hair, nails and teeth;
- stimulates the elimination of toxins and metabolic products from the body;
- Helps fight infections
- improves performance and mood.
Symptoms of the lack of this trace element
Few people think about what iodine is in. After all, it is not always possible to associate malaise and health disorders with its lack. Many symptoms that could be eliminated by simply increasing the amount of iodine in the diet are mistaken for manifestations of other diseases. Therefore, it is best to consult an endocrinologist in the presence of such pathologies:
- drowsiness, lethargy, apathy, depression, irritability;
- increased blood pressure, vascular atherosclerosis;
- frequent headaches;
- memory impairment;
- weakness, fatigue, muscle pain;
- heart rhythm disturbance, shortness of breath;
- swelling, blue circles under the eyes ;
- mental retardation in children;
- dry skin, hair loss, brittle nails;
- frequent colds;
- weight gain.
How to make up for iodine deficiency
In the body, this trace element is not produced and does not accumulate. Therefore, daily replenishment from the outside is necessary. According to statistics, now one sixth of all humanity is deficient in iodine. This is especially dangerous for children. A person receives a tenth of all the necessary iodine from air and water, the rest must come from food. And you need to know what iodine is in order to prevent malfunctions in the body.
But the problem is also that with the heat treatment of products, most trace elements are destroyed. A certain amount of iodine is also lost. This also leads to its lack in the body. Therefore, products that contain iodine, it is advisable to eat fresh. They can also be stewed or baked, exposing as little heat as possible.
Before figuring out what to eat to make up for iodine deficiency, it is important to understand how much it should come with food. For each person, the norm is individual. For example, babies need 50 to 90 micrograms, schoolchildren need 120 micrograms, and adolescents and adults need 150 micrograms per day. In some cases, for example, during pregnancy, during breastfeeding or with thyroid diseases, the dose of iodine should be increased to 200 mcg.
What foods contain the most iodine?
In order for a sufficient amount of this trace element to enter the body with food, you need to balance your diet. You need to find out your iodine rate, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland and other organs, for each person it is different. Therefore, it is impossible to say exactly how much and what you need to eat to make up for the lack of this substance. But with the symptoms of his lack, it is necessary to include the richest foods in his diet. The greatest amount of iodine is found in such products:
- there is a lot of it in seaweed, and it is easily digested;
- in fish, especially marine - haddock, salmon, tuna, herring;
- in cod liver, red caviar and fish oil;
- persimmon is the champion of iodine content; there are also a lot of it in strawberries and grapes;
- it is also found in cereal products, for example, in buckwheat and oats;
- in whole milk, natural butter, cheese;
- egg yolks;
- beef and poultry meat.
Seafood iodine
Such food best makes up for the deficiency of this trace element. All marine life accumulate iodine directly from the water. And it is known that most of it is in the ocean. Various seafood contains a large amount of iodine. For example, only 100-150 g of seaweed are able to replenish its daily rate. In addition, it is advisable to include marine fish in the diet more often - salmon, tuna, halibut, cod, and flounder. It needs a little more, since during heat treatment half of the iodine is lost. Do not forget about seafood such as mussels, shrimps, squids, oysters, crabs. They are considered delicacies, but among other things, they are also very useful.
Dairy products containing iodine
But not only seafood can make up for the deficiency of this trace element. A glass of fresh whole milk contains 30-40% of the daily norm of iodine. There is also a lot of it in cream, condensed milk, cheeses, especially processed ones, cottage cheese and kefir. Therefore, dairy products provide the body with not only enough calcium and vitamin D. If they are less subjected to heat treatment, they can make up for iodine deficiency. It is especially important to include dairy products in the diet of children and adolescents, as well as pregnant women.
Iodine in plant foods
In small quantities, this trace element is also found in what is growing. Especially if vegetables and fruits are grown in regions near the sea. Where is the largest amount of iodine contained? Most of it accumulates in greens, especially parsley, dill and spinach, bell pepper, garlic, broccoli. A lot of iodine in baked potatoes, carrots and cabbage. From fruits, you need to pay attention to persimmons, grapes, peaches, plums and cranberries. There is also a lot of iodine in such an exotic fruit as feijoa. If vegetables and fruits are grown on lands rich in this microelement, only a kilogram of fresh fruit per day will make up for its deficiency.
What else contains iodine? Do not forget about such necessary products on our table as cereals. A lot of iodine in buckwheat, oatmeal, wheat bran, whole grain bread. It is necessary to try to heat them as little as possible.
How else to make up for iodine deficiency
First of all, you should pay attention to water. Even ordinary water contains iodine. Drinking at least 2 liters per day, you can get about 30 mg of this trace element. In addition, people living near the sea receive iodine by inhaling it with air. All local fruits and vegetables there are enriched with this trace element. And in regions where there is very little iodine in the soil, it is added to many products. Most often - in salt. But it is worth remembering that with prolonged storage, as well as with heat treatment, the iodine content decreases. In regions where the soil is poor in this trace element, it is added to mineral water, juices, dairy products and bread.
In pharmacies, you can also purchase biologically active additives and vitamin-mineral complexes to make up for iodine deficiency. But before using them, you need to consult a doctor. To compensate for iodine deficiency, you can use "Iodine-Active", "Iodomarin", "Iodine-Balance", "Potassium iodide" and others. But it is worth remembering that this trace element is absorbed from them worse than from products. In addition, some substances slow down the absorption of iodine. Therefore, you need less to use foods and medicines containing bromine, iron, manganese, calcium, cobalt, lithium.
Iodine overdose
An excess of this trace element is no less dangerous than a deficiency. Therefore, before finding out where iodine is contained, in which products it is most found, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Indeed, with some diseases of the thyroid gland, its additional intake into the body can be dangerous. The fact that an overdose of iodine occurred can be understood by the following symptoms:
- violation of the thyroid gland;
- sudden weight loss, emaciation;
- weakness, muscle atrophy, sweating, trembling hands;
- the early appearance of gray hair;
- irritability, tearfulness, insomnia;
- allergic reactions;
- diarrhea, disruption of the stomach and intestines.
It is very important to pay attention to the diet. If it is diverse and balanced, many health problems can be avoided.