Fish is known to be good for your brain, and dairy for strengthening your bones. But what if not eating enough of these foods meant depriving your body of another crucial, yet overlooked, mineral?
Research suggests iodine deficiency is on the rise in the UK, and not getting enough could put your thyroid function – which regulates your metabolism, energy levels, heart rate, and body temperature – at risk.
The experts say a move away from dairy and fish could cause deficiency because both are rich in iodine, which is essential for producing thyroid hormones.
“Thyroid hormones are involved in almost everything, from metabolism to energy levels to how a baby’s brain develops during pregnancy. It really is vital we get enough iodine – but not too much,” explains women’s health dietitian Cordula Henggeler.
“Iodine deficiency is more common than people realise and it is one of those things that has quietly become an issue again here in the UK. However, we don’t tend to think about our iodine intake too much and awareness around it is pretty limited.”
