Most plant-based milk is not fortified with iodine.
“Normal thyroid function requires proper dietary iodine.” In fact, the two thyroid hormones are named after the number of iodine atoms, including T3 and T4. “It can be safely and intermittently consumed, given that iodine is stored extensively in the thyroid itself,” so there is no need to consume it every day. But our whole meal needs a good source of it. Unfortunately, the general source of information is not particularly health promotion. Iodinated salts and dairy foods. (Iodine-based cleansers like betadine are used by cows “to leach into milk to disinfect the breast.”) Iodine can also be added to cow feed.
Putting people on an old-fashioned diet and cutting out dairy products and table salt can lead to iodine deficiency. What about people who switch to dieting that focuses on food-based foods across the plant? They also cut down on ice cream and mysterious bread, and if they’re not eating anything from the ocean like seaweed or other sea vegetables, they may run into the same problem.
The 3-year-old parents reported that they were trying to feed her only the healthiest foods, and her diet included only plant-based, unsalted, seasonal foods. She did not get raw foods, but she also did not receive fatal vitamin supplements. Without vitamin B12, people on a strictly plant-based diet could develop irreversible nerve damage, but in this case, goiter first developed due to insufficient iodine intake.
In another case of “veganism as a cause of iodine deficiency hypothyroidism,” the infant became ill after weaning. Before weaning, his mother continued to take her prenatal vitamins, so he was fine.
Most vegetarians and vegans apparently don’t know the importance of iodine intake during pregnancy. The American Thyroid Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that women take daily supplements containing 150 micrograms (MCG) of iodine, even if they are planning to get pregnant, but only 60% of prenatal vitamins sold in the US contain this essential mineral. Therefore, despite the recommendations, about 40% of prenatal vitamins do not contain it. “Therefore, it is very important that women read the labels for multivitamin supplements and receive the right amount of iodine, especially when it comes to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pregnancy planning.”
The average iodine level for women of reproductive age is 110 mcg/liter, which is fine for non-pregnant individuals, but you can get at least 150 mcg/liter during pregnancy. (It is basically a 24-hour urine test, and iodine filling is defined as 100 mcg/liter of urine in non-pregnant adults. The average vegan has not been able to reach this in the largest study ever done.
The recommended average daily intake is 150 mcg per day for most people, which can fit about half of milk. Unfortunately, plant-based milk is not usually fortified with iodine, and only averages around 3 mcg per cup. Many plant-based milk is calcium, but in the largest systematic study to date, researchers found that only three out of 47 were named iodine. As you can see in my video at 3:30, the fortified ones were as much as milk as milk, but the reason it was as lacking as milk is due to the risk of iodine deficiency.
Plant-based milk companies boast about concentrating milk with calcium and often vitamins B12, D, and A, but rarely attempts to match its iodine content. The only reason there is plenty of milk is that producers either enrich the animal’s feed or drip it out of the breast. So why doesn’t the plant malking company add iodine either? A food scientist at Silk told me my carrageenan video plays a role in the company switching to another thickener. Hopefully Silk will also watch this video and consider adding iodine or another company will take away the opportunity for the market benefits.
Researchers conclude that individuals who consume plant-based milk that is not fortified with iodine are at risk of iodine deficiency unless they consume alternative nutrient-rich iodine sources.
Doctor’s notes:
This is the first in a 4 video series on thyroid function. The following three are:
For more information about iodine, see the related post below.
