Adults aged 19 and above require around 150 mcg iodine each day.
Requirements rise during pregnancy and breastfeeding, with recommended intakes of about 220 and 290 mcg respectively, states Harvard T H Chan School Of Public Health.
Iodine is often not so easy to add to your diet as it is present in certain specific foods only or in iodine-enriched items. But the good news is even small quantities of iodised salt or foods like eggs and prunes together will fulfill your daily values.
Be careful to see that you take in the 150 mcg iodine you need daily
1. Eggs
A whole egg offers quality proteins, beneficial fats and a range of essential nutrients. The yolk, in particular, supplies iodine, with one large egg providing roughly 26 mcg, says Medical News Today.
2. Prunes
As per Healthline: 'Five dried prunes provide 13 mcg of iodine, or about 9 per cent of the daily value'.
3. Milk
Beyond seafood, dairy stands out as a strong source of iodine. An 220-ml serving of skimmed cow's milk provides around 85 mcg iodine, covering a significant portion of daily requirements, states WebMD.
But iodine's content in milk depends on how much iodine exists in cattle feed and how much is in the soil that reaches cows through the grass they graze, explains ScienceDirect.
4. Iodised Salt
About 71 mcg iodine can be found in just a ¼ tsp iodised salt. While it also contains sodium, using around ½ a tsp each day is generally sufficient to help prevent iodine deficiency, says Healthline.
5. Seaweed
Seaweed stands out as one of the richest natural sources of iodine. Just 10 gm dried nori, popular in Japanese cuisine and commonly used in sushi, can provide up to 232 mcg, exceeding daily needs by a wide margin, informs WebMD.
6. Greek Yoghurt
Three-quarters cup of plain, non-fat Greek yoghurt provides around 87 mcg iodine, according to National Institutes Of Health, the main US federal biomedical research agency.
7. Seafood
Seafood is well known for its iodine content, and tuna, cod, prawns, among others, stand out as a particularly nutritious choice, says Healthline.
A 85-gm portion tuna provides around 17 mcg, enough to cover 1/10th of your daily requirement and 85-gm portion prawns provides around 35 mcg, enough to cover 1/5th of your daily requirement.
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