Iodine was first discovered in 1811 by accident when a French chemist, Bernard Courtois, in an attempt to process gunpowder sorely needed towards the end of the Napoleonic Wars, combined too much acid to a suspension of seaweed ash. The concoction produced a violet-coloured vapour which had never been observed before. Courtois’ collaborator, Gay-Lussac announced a discovery of a new element “iodine” after the Greek word ioeides, meaning “violet coloured”.
Iodine is an essential micronutrient required for thyroid health which influences normal growth, neurological development and metabolism. Abundantly available in seawater, its distribution across land is uneven which makes it availability in food sources to remain unpredictable and dependent on growing conditions. Although within the European medical community its use is a relatively new discovery, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) texts, as well as writings by Greek physician Hippocrates, refers to the use of seaweeds to support goitre (hypothyroidism) by as early as 3600 BCE.
The recommended daily intake of iodine is 150 µg for men and women. Higher amounts are required during pregnancy and lactation, to meet the increased needs of the infant.
Food sources of iodine include artichokes, asparagus, butter, dark green vegetables, pineapple, seaweeds, kelp, Wakame, iodised salt, saltwater fish, seafood, sea vegetables, crustaceans, fortified cereals.
