Recommendations
Pacific Sea Moss has some iodine. Eating 5 gm of dried seaweed will provide about 20% of the recommended daily intake. It is enough to ensure that you do not develop sub-clinical iodine deficiency but not like kelp which is much higher concentration. The permissible iodine level in seaweed are often debated as iodine exists in both inorganic and organic forms and most in the health industry prefer the chemical forms in seaweed rather than the inorganic iodine form. The European Union sets a recommended daily allowance for adults of 150 µg iodine, with a maximum of 600 µg per day. To put that into context, then milk and other dairy products provide about 30 – 63 µg, and eggs 50 µg per 100gm of food.
Most seaweeds have traced to some and most are ok to consume – especially at 5g of dry per day. While Nori seaweed is up to 150 µg per 100g, Kombu kelp can contain up to 2,984 µg of iodine per seaweed sheet (1 gram). This provides almost 2,000% of the recommended daily intake. Excess iodine consumption is well-tolerated in the majority of people but could result in thyroid dysfunction for those who are susceptible. China insists on using Kombu for its people to reduce iodine deficiency, especially that inland where there is extensive iodine deficiency.
Iodine is essential
Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production and thus involved in energy metabolism. Insufficient iodine results in hypothyroidism, a condition marked by weight gain, weakness, and an enlarged thyroid gland (called “goitre”). Iodine deficiency is a significant public health concern, particularly for pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and young children, as prolonged deficiency during development results in irreversible brain damage and mental retardation.
China has marked marginal iodine deficiency and it is illegal to sell salt without additional iodine and eating Kombu is encouraged to reduce sub-clinical iodine deficiency.
Contrast that in Australia only 10% of salt is iodized, and with less than 100ug consumed per day then widespread iodine deficiency has been demonstrated.
We make no medical claims. But we all understand seaweed is healthy. What you may not know is that peer-reviewed scientific papers have shown in countless studies on humans, animals and in test tubes that seaweed is healthy. BioSea Health provides seaweed as a simple way to consume food. Simply good healthy food.
References
Li et al 2001 Re-emergence of iodine deficiency in Australia Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr (2001) 10(3): 200–203 – see http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/apjcn/10/3/200.pdf
