One of the sages (Hippocrates, Plato, Confucius? But does it really matter?..) said, ” I am what I eat.” Our health, daily well-being, appearance, mental abilities and mental state depend on how complete our diet is. Whether it contains not only calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also substances that are often needed in doses of a thousandth or millionth of a gram – vitamins and trace elements.
Such important substances for the body include iodine. According to the world health organization, there are many places in the world where people do not have enough iodine in their diet due to local conditions.
Hidden threat: not enough iodine
An adult of average height and age needs only 0.15 mg of iodine per day. But the lack of this substance in the body can lead to very serious consequences. The most important consumer of iodine in our body is the endocrine system: the thyroid gland located at the base of the neck, using iodine, produces hormones-thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
Hormones synthesized by the thyroid gland control the metabolic processes in our body. If you notice that you have become forgetful, irritable, have decreased reaction and attention, feel sleepy for no reason, constantly shiver and get fat – most likely, your endocrine system is not working properly. Problems with the cardiovascular system – arrhythmia, high blood pressure, low hemoglobin – can also be the result of a decrease in thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels.
Especially dangerous is the violation of metabolic processes for children during the period of active growth – they may lag behind in physical and mental development, experience difficulties in learning. And also for women, especially during pregnancy. An insufficient amount of iodine in the food of a pregnant woman can lead to a child’s congenital mental disability.
Systematic lack of iodine leads to a pathology of the thyroid gland – to cover the lack of hormones, the iron increases in size. Doctors even highlight an endemic goiter-an increase in the thyroid gland due to a lack of iodine in the environment. Most often, there is little iodine in the food of people who live far from the sea coast and mountain areas.
UN Convention on the rights of the child
In 1990, a meeting of heads of several major States was held in new York, which resulted in the adoption of a plan for the implementation of the Convention on the rights of the child. This Convention was intended to improve the nutritional and developmental conditions of children, including the elimination of diseases associated with iodine deficiency.
One of the methods to combat the lack of iodine is the use of iodized salt. Indeed, everything is simple: we eat salt all the time and every day – it is enough to add the necessary element to its composition. There is iodized salt on sale. However, according to the Association of endocrinologists, 1.5 million adults and 650 thousand children need the help of doctors of this profile every year, and the actual daily consumption of iodine by citizens is three times lower than the required norm (150-250 mcg).
And how many other diseases, the indirect cause of which is a violation of the endocrine system! According to statistics, less than 30 % of the country’s population uses iodized salt or medications and dietary Supplements containing iodine for the prevention of iodine-deficient diseases.
Within the framework of fulfilling the conditions of the Convention, the government, realizing that consciously, at their own will, citizens do not want to use commercially available iodine-enriched salt, decided to apply the “obligation”.
Prevention of diseases associated with iodine deficiency can prevent children from falling behind in physical and mental development, eliminate disabilities associated with iodine-deficient cretinism and mental retardation, reduce the frequency of asocial forms of deviant behavior in children due to reduced intelligence, significantly reduce the frequency of various thyroid diseases, many birth defects, miscarriage and infant mortality.
You can read about depriving people of the right to freely choose salt, that salt without iodine will not be available at all. That an overdose of this substance is no less dangerous than a lack, and that some of the population in this way want to poison, hinting that some people are allergic to iodine.
Where is the truth? As always, somewhere in the middle. Let’s count together the myths associated with iodized salt that have taken hold of the mass consciousness.
1. An overdose of iodine
A lot of iodine is really dangerous – it can lead to hyperthyroidism (increased production of thyroid hormones), poisoning, and even death (if the dose of iodine exceeds 3 grams). However, if you eat so much salt that the total amount of iodine exceeds the safe dosage, you will have problems with poisoning the body with sodium chloride sooner.
A dose of 1-2 mg of iodine is considered safe. And it is planned to add 40 mg of iodine per kilogram of salt to the salt. To exceed the safe dosage of iodine, you will need to eat more than 50 grams of salt per day – this is more than 10 times the recommended daily intake of table salt.
2. The sharp increase in the price of salt
Enrichment of salt with iodine, according to calculations, will lead to an increase in price by no more than 10 %.
3. Iodine quickly evaporates from the salt
Previously, salt was enriched with the addition of potassium iodide, which was really not too resistant – it evaporated within six months, especially when the humidity is high and the products are heat treated. Therefore, iodized salt was recommended as a “salad” – for cooking cold and pre-salting ready-made dishes.
Modern iodized salt is produced with the addition of more stable potassium Iodate. The shelf life of this salt is more than 12 months. Potassium Iodate is more resistant to both humidity and high temperatures. In addition, after the expiration date of the iodized salt, it turns into just salt.
4. Iodine – allergen
Iodine – a trace element, allergies to trace elements can not be by definition. Allergens are complex organic compounds
5. you Can say goodbye to homemade pickles
Previously, to stabilize potassium iodide, another substance was added – sodium thiosulfate, the presence of which really led to spoilage of taste and violation of the safety of the preparations. Potassium Iodate does not need additional stabilizers. In addition, the salt of grinding No. 2 and 3 – large, just the most suitable for canning – will not be enriched with iodine.
Let’s go back to the beginning of our Saga: “I am what I eat.” Our body gets iodine mainly from food, well, and a little more-from water and air. And it is not necessary to eat only seaweed to get a daily norm of iodine. This substance is also rich in many other products: persimmons, feijoa, apples, grapes, leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli, onions. As well as eggs, beans, beans, cereals. And, of course, sea fish and seafood.
Eat tasty and healthy – “macaroni” does not contain not only iodine, but also other necessary microelements for our body. The key to the absence of iodine deficiency is a varied and complete diet!