UK iodine deficiency at an all time low

Iodine has long been considered to be a vital mineral for well-being and the secret to unlocking effective metabolism.

However recent studies show that a shocking two in three British girls and women are now thought to have low iodine levels. Health professionals predict this ratio is getting worse and are recommending consumers try eating seaweed in a special effort to revert this.

Iodine has been linked to low IQ, fatigue, miscarriages and problems with the thyroid - the gland in the neck that regulates metabolism and early development. Doctors are now calling on the government to have iodine added to salt in the UK and to educate consumers in how they can up their daily amounts.

Asian-inspired snacks brand, itsu, has seen a significant increase in demand for their seaweed thins range, a product rich in iodine: 1.5 million packs of their popular seaweed thins snack were sold in 2014, a 178% year on year increase.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says iodine deficiency is the biggest international cause of mental impairment and have urged worldwide governments to add it to salt as a prerequisite requirement. The Morton Salt Company was the first to add iodine to their salt back in 1924 at the request of the US government. Since then, many countries, including Canada, Denmark, Switzerland and, more recently, India have followed suit.

Dr Vanderpump of the Royal Free Hospital in London said: 'As soon as you even mention salt in Britain, people start talking about high blood pressure and strokes. Awareness is getting better but that’s why I think the government doesn’t want to intervene, because it’s always easier to leave the status quo. It’s ironic that we fund programmes to iodise the salt of Third World countries, yet we don’t bother about our own.'

Trace amounts of iodine are found in dairy products but richly abundant in some seafoods such as cod and scallops. However, with sustainable fishing being such a hot current topic, consumers are being urged to seek out other food sources to meet their quota, such as seaweed.

Iodine boasts an impressive array of health benefits, including

Maintaining healthy skin and hair: it removes free-radicals from cells and is therefore good for antiageing.

Helping to regulate metabolism: it's vital for normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which plays an important role in metabolism.

Maintaining energy levels: ensures efficient utilisation of calories to maintain energy and prevent calories being deposited as excess fat.

Boosting immunity: stimulates and increases activity of antioxidants to provide defence against various diseases.

Creative Director of itsu [grocery] Julian Metcalfe said: 'Health is at the heart of our business. Our itsu seaweed thins are packed with vitamins and minerals from the sea that sometimes aren’t easy to find in our everyday diets. We have spent hours in product development creating a delicious and convenient snack to make nutritious eating beautiful and easy. itsu were the first to bring seaweed thins to UK supermarket shelves back in 2012 and today they are our top selling product. We envisage that sales will continue to increase as more consumers become aware of the necessity to up their iodine levels.'