Foods To Avoid With An Iodine Deficiency

The average Japanese consumes 92 times more iodine than people in the United States who follow the U.S. government guidelines of 150 micrograms each day, notes Dr Guy Abrahams, a imminent researcher in the field of this halide mineral. He explains how most people in the West are highly deficient in this key nutrient, and this can have negative effects on immune system function, hormonal sensitivity throughout the body and thyroid function. Some foods contain other halides, which can competitively inhibit iodine absorption, so avoiding such foods may help overcome iodine deficiencies.

Baked Goods

Bakers traditionally used iodine in the form of potassium iodide to help bread rise more quickly, which allowed them to create well-formed, soft loaves in less time. However, the medical community became concerned about the potential toxicity of iodine in the late1950s, at which point potassium bromide became the additive of choice. Unfortunately, this addition meant that people who ate the bread were introducing bromine compounds into their bodies. Abrahams explains that bromine exerts toxic effects on humans, displaces iodine and that no requirement for bromine exists. Adding bromides into baked goods was banned in many countries, but America's Food and Drug Administration has not yet taken action.

Brominated Soft Drinks

European visitors to the United States may find an unfamiliar drink when browsing for soft drinks at pharmacies, Mountain Dew. European regulators banned the product on the basis of the brominated vegetable oils it contains, although no restrictions yet apply in America. Dr David Brownstein, an integrated physican and the author of “Iodine: Why You Need It”, reports how these brominated vegetable oils demonstrate toxic effects and can contribute to thyroid dysfunction, as well as displacing iodine throughout the body.

Fluoridated Toothpastes

While not strictly a food, toothpastes represent a significant source of exposure to the toxic halogen, fluorine. Although debate ranges as the actual needs of fluoride in the human body, physicians such as Dr Abrahams conclude that no requirement exist. In any case, the inclusion of sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate in toothpastes can deliver up to 0.76mg of fluoride each day, according to research published in the “Journal of Public Health and Dentistry.” Fluorine compounds, like other toxic bromides, compete with iodine and can contribute to deficiency. If you have an iodine deficiency, you may benefit from using fluoride-free toothpaste.