The 22 Healthiest Most Iodine-Rich Foods

The 22 Healthiest Most Iodine-Rich Foods

Today we’re going to talk about iodine.

And no, I’m not talking about the weird stuff doctors pour on cuts in war movies. If that’s the article you want to read, look elsewhere.

Instead, we’re going to talk about iodine as a nutrient. More specifically, how much your body critically needs it.

Iodine is absolutely vital for your thyroid gland to function properly. Your iodine controls your body’s growth as well as its metabolism, and when things go wrong with your thyroid they go really wrong.

If you’re not getting enough iodine, you’re going to run into fatigue, depression, lethargy, high cholesterol, and thyroid gland swelling. Not good.

Want to avoid it? Then you need to eat enough iodine. Here are 22 foods that will help you do just that:

1. Cod

Cod fish is a delicious white fish known for its mild flavor. It’s a great source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin E, as well as an amazing source of iodine. You get 66% of your daily amount of iodine in just a 3 ounce serving.

2. Milk

When most people think about milk, they think about Vitamin D and calcium. However, milk is good for a lot of other nutrients too – including iodine. Just a cup of milk will give you 37% of your daily recommended value.

3. Dried Seaweed

If you’re suffering from an iodine deficiency, chances are you’ll be told to eat more dried seaweed. Just a quarter ounce of it has enough iodine in it to last you a month (not that you can absorb all of it at once, most of it would go to waste). Eat small amounts of it and never worry about an iodine deficiency again.

4. Baked Turkey Breast

Want some good news about turkey? (Besides the fact that it’s delicious). Just 3 ounces of turkey breast gives you 23% of the daily value of iodine. Plus, you’re getting B-vitamins, phosphorous, and potassium.

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5. Fortified Iodized Salt

A lot of people get iodine and salt confused – so let’s set the record straight. Salt is a crystal made of sodium and chloride, while iodine is a mineral. However, you can find salt that has been enriched with iodine, so if you’re not getting enough, make sure you’re using a fortified iodine salt.

6. Shrimp

Food that you get from the ocean is an amazing source of iodine, and shrimp is no exception.

If you eat just 3 ounces of shrimp, you get 25% of your daily recommended value of iodine, as well as a good amount of protein and calcium.

7. Yogurt

When most people think of the health benefits of yogurt, their minds go straight to calcium and protein. However, they’re also an awesome source of iodine – just a cup contains 58% of your daily value.

8. Baked Potatoes

If you want all the best nutrients in potatoes, go with baked rather than mashed. That’s because the skin of the potato is where you’re going to find the nutrients you need, like fiber, vitamins, and potassium. More good news? Just one baked potato will give you 40% of your recommended daily value of iodine.

 

9. Himalayan Crystal Salt

This type of salt is great if you’re worried about getting enough iodine in your diet. Just half a gram contains over 150% of the iodine you need in a day – so you can enjoy responsibly and still get all the iodine you need.

10. Dried Prunes

You might think that prunes went out of fashion with your grandparents, but the truth is that they give you awesome stuff like fiber, vitamin A, vitamin K, boron, and – oh yeah, iodine in spades.

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11. White Bread

Many people think that white bread is unhealthy, and it’s true that without moderation it’s not good for you. However, two slices will give you 30% of your daily value, which isn’t bad at all.

12. Bananas

If you’re feeling low on energy, bananas are a great way to restore your energy quick because of all the potassium they give you. They also give you a bit of iodine, which is a great bonus to get in such a delicious and healthy snack.

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13. Strawberries

Who doesn’t love the taste of strawberries? In addition to a host of vitamins and minerals, strawberries also give you 10% of your daily iodine value in just a one cup serving.

14. Canned Corn

Corn is served a lot of different ways, but if you want to boost your iodine intake, skip the cob and creamed varieties and stick to canned corn. You get 10% of your daily value from a half cup of the canned stuff.

15. Navy Beans

Everyone could use more beans in their diets just for how good they are for you, and navy beans are no exception. Just a half cup of navy beans gives you vital nutrients like iodine, calcium, protein, copper, potassium, and folate. That’s a lot more than just iodine in a healthy package!

16. Fish Sticks

While they’re not the healthiest option, fish sticks are still a great choice if you want to raise the iodine levels in your body. Two of them give you about 25% of your recommended daily value.

17. Tuna In A Can

If you’re looking for iodine from your canned tuna, pick the stuff that’s canned in oil rather than water – it has more iodine. 3 ounces of canned tuna will give you 11% of your daily value – plus protein, Vitamin D, and iron.

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18. Boiled Eggs

Hard boiled eggs are an awesome breakfast option (or really any meal) that will give you Vitamin A, D, antioxidants, calcium, and zinc. Plus, one hard-boiled egg contains 10% of your iodine value for the day.

19. Lobster

ok – so lobster isn’t the cheapest snack, but if you need more iodine in your diet, it’s a great option. You can get 67% of your recommended value from 100 grams of the underwater delicacy.

20. Cheddar Cheese

Who doesn’t love cheddar cheese? Personally – it’s my favorite of all the cheeses. And now there’s a new reason to love it: it’s got iodine to help balance your diet. An ounce will give you 8% of your daily value.

21. Cranberries

While some people might be put off by the sour taste of cranberries, the truth is that they have great amounts of vitamin C, K, and fiber in them.

Plus, they will give you 267% of your daily value in just 4 ounces of the tart fruit.

22. Green Beans

If you really need just a bit more iodine in your diet, reach for some green beans. One tiny half cup serving will net you 2% of your recommended value, plus they’re chock full of vitamin C, folate, and potassium as well.

In summary…

The Best Iodine Rich Foods

  1. Cod
  2. Milk
  3. Dried seaweed
  4. Baked turkey breast
  5. Fortified iodized salt
  6. Shrimp
  7. Yogurt
  8. Baked potatoes
  9. Himalayan crystal salt
  10. Dried prunes
  11. White bread
  12. Bananas
  13. Strawberries
  14. Canned corn
  15. Navy beans
  16. Fish sticks
  17. Tuna in a can
  18. Boiled eggs
  19. Lobster
  20. Cheddar cheese
  21. Cranberries
  22. Green beans

best iodine rich foods

If you loved this article, then check out these other must-see related posts:

Seaweed: The Green Superfood You’re Not Eating — But Should Be

Iodine: The Goldilocks Mineral

Astounding health benefits of iodine and how to use it

33 comments… add one
  • Salvatore Virginia September 2, 2015, 1:46 am

    Seawood is good, but it s hard to digest, seaweed kelp it good, just stick it in some food that your cooking. I keep seeing that cranberies have about 400 microgms iodine per 4 oz. Where does that number come from?

  • Colleen Gross August 24, 2015, 9:04 am

    I never knew how important iodine is to the body. Anything that deals with the thyroid gland should be on the top of your list!

  • Wendy Watson August 20, 2015, 9:40 pm

    I usually do not worry about what is in the foods that I eat. I just want to eat good food and leave it at that!

    • Janice Sharp August 22, 2015, 6:03 am

      I would be worried. There are so many things that you would NOT want in your body. It helps to be educated about food.

  • Roxanne Reed August 19, 2015, 8:54 am

    I know people that have suffered due to problems with their thyroid. The end result is not fun. They may not have know about the iodine and how important it is.

  • Cindy Ford August 19, 2015, 8:39 am

    Himalayan Crystal Salt is getting pretty serious :)

  • Marilyn Watson August 18, 2015, 5:00 pm

    Do you think you lose the benefits of the foods on this list when you cook them, or prepare them in some ways?

  • Bernice Harrington August 18, 2015, 4:49 pm

    The thyroid is very important to having a healthy lifestyle, so I think anything that you can do to improve that, you should be considering!

  • Katherine Alexander August 17, 2015, 9:11 am

    Tuna in a can! Yuck. Good thing there is plenty of other types of iodine rich foods on this list :)

  • Kristin Owen August 14, 2015, 11:49 am

    A lot of things in your body are based on how healthy your thyroid gland is. IF these foods help, it would be dumb to skip eating them.

  • Phyllis Bell August 13, 2015, 5:46 pm

    Iodine huh? Well, it is good for your body and I guess if you need it, the best way to get it is through the food it is already in. Does not get much easier than that!

  • Blanche Frank August 13, 2015, 4:41 pm

    When you need to have iodine in your diet, these are a great start.

    • Traci Stanley August 22, 2015, 6:13 am

      As a dietitian, I would have to agree with you!

  • Julia Baker August 12, 2015, 9:37 am

    Does anyone know what happens to your body when you are low on iodine? I am just curious because it could make a difference in someone’s health.

  • Juana Saunders August 11, 2015, 9:30 am

    As a nutritionist, I can easily agree with this list. Great work!

    • Juanita Lee August 20, 2015, 9:49 pm

      What would you say is the most important one from this list?

  • Wanda Phillips August 11, 2015, 9:20 am

    Well, each day I start with a cup of yogurt and some bananas. According to this, there is plenty of iodine getting into this body!

  • Alberta Alvarado August 10, 2015, 7:25 pm

    I usually have my sushi wrapped in seaweed, so that is a good thing right? Since I am a vegetarian, that takes a few things off this list, but I still have some options, right?

  • Vanessa L August 7, 2015, 9:37 pm

    It is amazing what the body needs to function, don’t you think?

    • Joyce Campbell August 17, 2015, 9:24 am

      Yeah, there is a lot of other things your body is made up from and when we were taught this in school, iodine was not one of them :)

  • Kristin   August 7, 2015, 9:25 pm

    I used to like milk, but now it seems like my body cannot handle it as well. Do you know why that would be?

    • Patty Graves August 10, 2015, 7:36 pm

      You could be lactose? Could that be the problem? Maybe try some other types of “milk” and see how your body reacts to that.

  • Amber Rolan   August 7, 2015, 8:26 am

    I wonder what is so important about iodine for my body? Then I read this and look at all of that information. It is crazy what ONE thing can do for your body.

  • Lucila Fremont   August 7, 2015, 8:12 am

    WOW! That Himalayan Crystal Salt has a lot of iodine. Do you think that you could overdose if you accidentally has too much?

  • Amber Rolan   August 6, 2015, 9:35 pm

    Why does our body need iodine?

    • Lori Stewart August 24, 2015, 9:13 am

      LOL. Did you even read the post? The information is right there for you. Iodine is very important for the health of your thyroid!

  • Lucila Fremont   August 6, 2015, 9:24 pm

    I have a very healthy lifestyle and many of the foods on this list I have had before. My body is a good mix of the natural chemicals that I need to survive and that is a great feeling. Thank you for posting about these!

  • Migdalia   August 5, 2015, 12:11 pm

    Iodine is good for you? I never knew that. I guess it pays to know a little about everything, compared to a lot about nothing huh?

    • Angela Robbins August 12, 2015, 9:50 am

      LOL. I guess you are right. Education is a big part of knowing what your body needs to survive!

  • Dianne Watanabe   August 5, 2015, 11:58 am

    ALL of these are great foods if you can fit them into your diet. Excellent list!

  • Magen Sturgeon   August 3, 2015, 10:25 am

    I never knew our bodies needed so much iodine. Thank you for the article, it is very helpful!

    • Kayla Sparks August 14, 2015, 12:07 pm

      Taking care of your thyroid is very important!

  • Renee Six   August 3, 2015, 10:06 am

    At first I was going to freak out because I thought it was all about meat. Being a vegetarian is hard enough where I am from.

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