Iodine, are you getting yours?

By 27. September 2017Blog, Health, Nutrition

If you are drinking milk alternatives such as soya, almond and oat milk instead of cow’s milk chances are you are not getting enough iodine.

In a paper published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers measured the levels of iodine in 47 milk alternatives and compared these to the levels found in cow’s milk. They found the median levels in the milk alternatives were only 1.7% of the levels found in milk. Organic cow’s milk was also measured and this had only approx. 73% of the iodine levels found in the milk from non-organically fed cows. This can be expected as quite often the diet of non-organically fed cattle can be supplemented with, for instance, potassium iodide (Organic milk leaving you in need?, Milk organic or not organic?).

The researchers conclude by saying that although many milk alternatives are supplemented with calcium only 3 of the 47 they tested were supplemented with iodine. Therefore, people at risk of iodine deficiency should ensure they are getting it from elsewhere. Other good sources are yogurt and white fish.

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