Goitre Thyroid: The Condition That Ravaged The North of Thailand & Foods You Can Put Into Your Diet That Contain Iodine.

So, after having a conversation with one of my students yesterday, I was left terrified – touching my neck to see if I have enlarged thyroid glands.

Years ago in the north of Thailand, the accessibility of salt was scarce.  Salt, for those of you who don’t know, contains iodine.  Have you ever went to the super market and found on shelves *Iodized Salt*?  That’s exactly what I’m here to tell you about.  This deficiency alone affects more than 2 billion people on the planet, scientists say.

Now, in America, this is uncommon dee to the readily available iodine in our diets.  However, in parts of Thailand dating back 20-30 years and still a bit common today….suffers heavily from this.

Goitre Thyroid

This is an enlargement of the thyroid.  A very grotesque looking condition that causes your thyroid to swell up into a small mass that’s the size of a mini soccer ball.  I won’t attach any photos because it makes me want to hurl.

Nonetheless, this condition is uncommon in some parts of the world, but I do want to give you some foods that contain iodine just incase you’re lacking it in your daily diet – and I’m not talking about just table spooning salt down your throat, either.

7 Foods That Contain Iodine

1. Sea Vegetables – Kelp

The ocean hosts the largest amount of iodine foods, including Kelp.  Kelp has the highest amount of iodine of any food on the planet and just one serving offers 4 times the daily minimum requirement. 1 tablespoon of Kelp contains about 2000/mcg of iodine.

I would recommend sprinkling these into soups or salad, even an avocado salad. 🙂

2. Cranberries

This antioxidant rich fruit is another great source of iodine. About 4 ounces of cranberries contain approximately 400/mcg of iodine. I recommend buying fresh organic berries or juice. If you buy cranberry juice from the store, be aware of how much sugar it contains. Obviously those cartons of juice in super markets have stacks upon stacks of sugar, so what could be a very antioxidant rich fruit can turn detrimental.

3. Organic Yogurt

A natural probiotic, yogurt is an excellent iodine food you should add to your diet. One serving holds more than half of your daily needs. 1 cup contains approximately 90/mcg of iodine. Other than yogurt, I will make a blog containing a bunch of probiotic foods that actually even promote your digestive system. Stay tuned!

4. Organic Navy Beans

Many beans are a great food source of iodine and navy beans may top the list. Just 1/2 cup of these beans contain about 32/mcg of iodine. Beans aren’t just an iodine food, they are also incredibly high in finer, which also supports the digestive system.  Navy beans are probably a rare commodity in the households of a lot of people around the world; however, I’m sure there are other beans that have a great source of iodine, too.

5. Organic Strawberries

This tasty red fruit packs up to 10% of your daily iodine needs in just a single serving. One cup of fresh strawberries has approximately 13/mcg of iodine. It’s hard to tell what’s organic and inorganic nowadays, but fresh food markets and places where the prices are normally jacked up houses organic foods.  I know, it’s sad that there are organic food shops which are far more expensive than inorganic food that are full of chemicals.

6. Raw, Organic Cheese

CHEESE! Cheese is high in iodine, along with essential B vitamins, calcium, and protein. Dairy, whether raw or pasteurized, may not be the best choice for some people, especially those with sensitive digestive systems.  Also, most cheese is loaded with sodium, so be aware of what type of cheese you’re buying! I’ll probably have to do a blog on cheese just to steer some of my readers in the right direction.

7. Organic Potatoes

The common potato is an easy addition to most meals and is one of the richest sources of iodine in the vegetable kingdom. Leave the skin on and one medium-sized baked potato holds 60/mcg of iodine. Be sure to get organic only as potatoes tend to suck up pesticides very easily! Scary, I know.  I always LOVED eating baked potatoes with the skin on, so I think I’ve set myself up just because of my earlier years. HA!

If you have any questions or inquiries, don’t hesitate to ask!

Next blog: probiotics!

Podcast – https://www.spreaker.com/episode/10461174