Do you know what iodine tastes like?
You probably do—even if you’ve never heard of it. You probably consume this chemical element every day.
“Wait. What?” you might be thinking. “I’m eating chemicals?”
Yes, iodine is a chemical. It has the symbol I on the periodic table of elements. The oxygen you breathe is also a chemical element. So is the carbon that makes up your body. Iodine aids your metabolism—your body’s system for turning food into energy. Your thyroid gland needs a little bit of this element to work properly. Iodine also helps brain development and immunity.
Iodine is found in seawater, seaweed, and coastal soils. A French chemist discovered it by accident in 1811. While experimenting with seaweed ash, he created a purple puff of vapor. The name “iodine” comes from a Greek word meaning “violet-colored.”
A century ago, many kids didn’t get enough iodine in their diets. A lack of iodine can cause issues like goiter. Goiter is a swelling of the neck. The thyroid gland (located in the neck) works overtime to make up for the missing iodine. It grows larger from all that hard work.
Many kids in the early 1900s had goiter. A whole stretch of the United States was known as the “goiter belt.” Iodine deficiency even caused some kids to go deaf. It stunted growth and caused learning difficulties. This is known as congenital iodine deficiency syndrome, or CIDS.
Public health officials and food companies worked together to solve the problem. They couldn’t just feed seaweed daily to every kid in America. But they could spray nearly tasteless iodine on other foods. Food companies started adding iodine to everyday products like table salt and bread. By the 1950s, more than 70% of U.S. households used iodized table salt.
Take a look at the salt in your cupboard. Does the bag or carton say “iodized salt”? Iodized means iodine has been added.
Iodine deficiency all but disappeared. But now some doctors say it might make a comeback.
Store-bought, prepackaged foods often contain lots of salt. But the leading manufacturers don’t use iodized salt. Many home chefs have stopped using iodized salt too. They opt for kosher salt or trendy Himalayan rock salt instead. (Some professional chefs claim iodized salt has a tinny taste.)
“People have forgotten why there’s iodine in salt,” says Dr. Elizabeth Pearce of Boston Medical Center. She is a leader in the Iodine Global Network, a group devoted to fighting iodine deficiency disorders.
But don’t fear—and don’t overdo it. Too much iodine isn’t good for you either. Experts say most folks still get plenty of iodine. You need only about 130 micrograms of iodine per day. You can get your daily dosage in less than a teaspoon of iodized table salt. Iodine also turns up in eggs, milk, yogurt, tuna, shrimp, and cod. Every little bit adds up.
Salt has been part of human diets for thousands of years. Jesus described Christians as “the salt of the Earth.” (Matthew 5:13) What do you think He meant by that?
While you’re thinking, maybe add just a dash of iodized salt to your next meal.
Why? God created all the elements we need for strong, healthy bodies.
