Iodine Rich Foods List

Iodine is a trace mineral needed by the body in order to synthesize the thyroid hormones which are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).

Under normal condition, the body contains around 20 to 30 mg of iodine wherein most are kept in the thyroid gland, located under the voice box, in front of the neck.

Smaller amount of iodine are also found in the stomach lining, in the blood, salivary glands and in lactating mammary glands.

Iodine RDA

The iodine RDA is as follows:

Age Iodine
0 to 6 months 110 µg
7 to 12 months 130 µg
1 to 8 years old 90 µg
14 to 18 years old 120 µg
19 years and above 150 µg
Pregnant women 220 µg
Lactating women 290 µg

 Iodine Rich Foods List

The best way to prevent iodine deficiency syndromes is to have a healthy diet that contained sufficient amount of iodine. Below is an Iodine rich foods list but please note that as the quantity of iodine in a plant or an animal that has consumed it is dependent upon the concentration of the mineral in the soil that these amounts are variable.

Iodine Rich Food SERVING SIZE Average amount (µg)
Asparagus 100g 1.2 to 110.2
Bacon 100g 7.7
Beans 100g 24.5
Beetroot 100g 23.3
Beet – leaves 100g 24.8 to 143.5
Bockwurst 100g 97.6
Butter 100g 3.2
Cabbage 100g 26.0
Carrots 100g 20.2
Cheese – Camembert 100g 7.6
Cheese – Average 1 oz (28g) 3.3
Clams 100g 359.5
Cod 100g 749.3
Cowpea 100g 16.3
Crab 100g 129.2
Egg – boiled 1 large 40.1
Fish stick 1 17.8
Haddock 100g 1594.1
Herring 100g 211.4
Lettuce 1 oz (28g) 18.6
Lobster 100g 474.4
Mackerel 100g 207
Milk – Cow 1% 100 ml 2 to 15
Milk – Goat 100 ml 7.2
Oats 100g 9.1
Onion 100g 20.4
Oysters 100g 471.2
Peas 100g 22.3
Pork 100g 15.9
Potatoes 1 medium 60
Poultry 100g 27.4
Salmon 100g 103.0
Salt -Iodized 0.4g 8.5
Salt – Rock 100g 49.5
Sardines 100g 74.5
Seaweed (Wakame) 100g 50 to 450,000 (in Japan)
Shrimp 100g 498.7
Soya Beans 100g 49.0
Squash 100g 71.6
Spinach 100g 163.6
Tomato 100g 19.6
Trout 100g 40.4
Tuna 1 oz (28g) 20.0
Turnips 100g 34.3
Turkey 1 oz (28g) 39.9

Why Take Iodine?

Iodine is essential to human life, as a component of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) thyroid hormones. When the body doesn’t have sufficient amount of the iodine mineral, it will not be able to synthesize those hormones. The thyroid hormones are responsible in regulating the metabolism of every cell in the body and play a significant role in all physiological functions. Insufficient amount of iodine in the body can have a devastating impact to one’s well-being and overall health.

The enlargement of the thyroid gland or goiter is normally the earliest visible symptom of deficiency of iodine. Although this condition can occur due to various reasons, iodine deficiency is one of the most common causes worldwide. As the body tries to produce an increased amount of thyroid hormone, there will be an overstimulation of the thyroid gland by thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH) and results to the enlargement of the thyroid.

Iodine deficiency can lead to hyperthyroidism, which causes rapid heartbeat, appetite fluctuations and weight loss. Insufficient iodine intake can also cause hypothyroidism that causes several symptoms including weight gain, fatigue, depression and weakness. Severe iodine deficiency during infancy or pregnancy can cause cretinism, which is primarily a condition that is characterized by hypothyroidism that leads to severe mental retardation or failure of the thyroid gland, deafness, stunted physical growth and spasticity. Cretinism can be corrected with iodine supplementation discovered in its initial stage.

By making use of the Iodine rich foods list is helped that you can avoid many of the problems associated with deficiency of this mineral. Find out more about Iodine Rich Foods.

References and Further Reading

Nora; Office of Dietary Supplements; Linus Pauling Institute; Philippines Department of Health.