What is Iodized Salt? Benefits, Is It Healthy?

by Abbas Jahangir · September 1, 2021

Iodine, one of the very important microelements for health, is found in table salt at a certain rate. Iodine deficiency causes many health problems. An adult needs 150 micrograms of iodine per day.
Iodine deficiency is one of the main sources of many important health problems. In order to get the daily amount of iodine you need into the body, iodized salt must be consumed. According to experts, daily salt consumption should not be more than 5-6 grams.
Our country is among the countries that consume a high amount of salt. Excess salt consumption; It originates from bread, olives, cheese and prepared foods. Daily salt consumption increases even more when salt is added to salads and dinners.
While setting a limit on salt consumption, you should not skip the daily iodine requirement. Children 0 to 5 years old should take 90 micrograms of iodine daily, children 6-12 years old should get 120 micrograms of iodine daily, Adults should take 150 micrograms of iodine daily.
90% of the iodine requirement should be met from food and the remaining 10% from water.
Iodine deficiency in the womb; It can lead to thyroid gland insufficiency, insufficient brain development, low birth weight, malformations such as waist opening, and small head circumference in infants.
Iodine deficiency in children; It can lead to autism, hyperactivity problems and attention deficit in older ages.
Iodine deficiency causes infertility in women of childbearing age. It prepares the ground for hypertension, miscarriage and pregnancy poisoning during pregnancy.
Iodine deficiency causes problems such as intolerance to cold, dry skin, constipation, fatigue, concentration disorder, weight gain, hair loss, hair and nails breakage, difficulty in conceiving, forgetfulness, mental development difficulty, depression and goiter.

Is Iodized Salt or Non-iodized Salt Healthy?

The question of iodized salt or non-iodized salt confuses many people. According to experts, the main source of iodine in nutrition is salt. To eliminate iodine deficiency, it is necessary to use iodized table salt.
There is no harm in using enough iodized salt in salads. However, if the salt is discarded while cooking, the iodine evaporates and is lost. For this reason, salt should be added after cooking in order to benefit from the iodine in salt.

What Are the Benefits of Iodized Salt?

60% of the iodine in the body is stored in the thyroid gland. Thyroid hormones, which play an important role in mental development and regulate the metabolic rate, are made from iodine. Therefore, the benefits of iodized salt are quite high.

Iodine is very important for the human body. Iodine:

Removal of toxins from the body,
To regulate the energy level of the body,
Minerals become useful,
To strengthen the immune health,
Supporting skin and hair health and
It plays an important role in many areas, from cancer to prevention.

Iodized Salt Harms and Side Effects

As with everything else, excessive consumption of iodized salt is harmful.
Iodized salt causes the thyroid gland to not work too much, that is, hyperthyroidism, in those who have thyroid gland problems.
If you’re wondering if salt should be iodized, you can use iodized salt if you don’t have a thyroid problem.
Especially those with thyroid problems should be careful when using iodized salt and a specialist should be consulted first.
Iodized salt is usually sold in transparent light-permeable packages. You should buy iodized salt, which is sold in opaque packages.
While keeping iodized salt at home, you should keep it closed in an opaque container.