Pregnancy Nutrients: Iodine

Pregnancy Nutrients: Iodine

Brain Builder

The importance of iodine

Iodine is a key nutrient for pregnancy. As well as being involved in many functions and processes of the body, it is vital for your baby’s brain development. Learn what this trace element does and how to include it in your pregnancy diet.

Typical values per 100ml
Energy	285	KJ
	68	kcal
Fat	3.1	g
of which saturates	1.3	g
of which unsaturates	1.8	g
of which LCPs†	0.02	g
of which arachidonic acid (AA)	0.009	g
of which docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)	0.009	g
Carbohydrate	8.6	g
of which sugars	6.4	g
of which lactose	6	g
Fibre	0.6	g
Protein	1.4	g
Salt	0.05	g
Vitamins
Vitamin A	66	μg (RE)
Vitamin D₃	1.4	μg
Vitamin E	1.2	mg (α-TE)
Vitamin K₁	5.1	μg
Vitamin C	9.4	mg
Thiamin (B₁)	0.05	mg
Riboflavin (B₂)	0.11	mg
Niacin	0.44	mg
Pantothenic acid	0.37	mg
Vitamin B₆	0.04	mg
Folic acid	12	μg
Vitamin B₁₂	0.17	μg
Biotin	1.5	μg
Minerals
Sodium	21	mg
Potassium	66	mg
Chloride	43	mg
Calcium	66	mg
Phosphorus	37	mg
Magnesium	4.7	mg
Iron	1	mg
Zinc	0.6	mg
Copper	0.041	mg
Maganese	0.007	mg
Fluoride	≤0.003	mg
Selenium	1.4	μg
Iodine	13	μg
Others
L-carnitine	0.79	mg
Choline	10.5	mg
Inositol	4.9	mg
Taurine	5.8	mg
Nucleotides	3.2	mg
GOS/FOS ◊	0.8	g

Iodine helps to support:
Normal cognitive development

Iodine: A vital nutrient for good health

Iodine is a trace element found in dairy foods, fish and some other foods. One of the less well-known nutrients, it has a vital role to play in your everyday health and your baby’s incredible journey from conception to birth.

Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones. These hormones affect the way your cells function, affecting the processes of your body, including heart rate and metabolism.

During pregnancy, your baby’s cells also rely on your iodine intake, including the cells in their rapidly developing brain.

Grilled Fish — Fish and dairy foods are sources of iodine

Why you need more iodine during pregnancy

Iodine is important during pregnancy for three reasons:

You need thyroid hormones for your own body processes
Your body provides your baby with iodine
It is thought that you might naturally lose more iodine than usual during pregnancy

Soured Cream — Yogurt is an excellent source of iodine which has a vital role to play in your everyday health along with your baby’s development.

Building a healthy brain

With your baby’s brain developing rapidly throughout pregnancy, a good supply of iodine is essential to building this complex organ.

A well-balanced diet that includes a healthy intake of iodine will support your baby’s developing brain, contributing to their learning and motor skills, and helping to set the stage for all future development.

Which contains more iodine, organic cows’ milk or regular cows’ milk?

Regular milk

Correct answer

Regular milk contains an impressive 50-80mcg of iodine per 200ml serving.

Organic milk

Incorrect answer

Organic milk only contains 30-65 mcg of iodine per 200ml serving.

Guidance on how much iodine to eat when pregnant

Despite being present in many foods, a 2013 study found that iodine deficiency is a public health concern.

The World Health Organization recommends that pregnant women get 250mcg per day^.

White fish is an excellent source of iodine, as are dairy foods, including yoghurt. It’s worth noting that the iodine content of dairy varies depending on the season, due to variations in how cows are fed throughout the year. Higher levels of iodine have been measured in milk over the winter when cows are fed on winter feed rations, compared with the summer, when lower levels have been measured. These seasonal changes have been linked to the amount of iodine in maternal diets. Because the best sources are animal-based, vegetarians and vegans may be at a higher risk of deficiency. Talk to your midwife about taking a pregnancy-safe iodine supplement if you think you might not be getting enough in your diet.

Before taking any supplement during pregnancy, it’s important to discuss it with your midwife.

You can also increase your intake by replacing your regular salt with an iodised version. However, you shouldn’t increase your salt intake just to get more iodine. Iodised salt is just a fortified version.

Foods containing iodine:

Food	Portion	Average nutrient quantity (mcg)
Cow's milk	200ml	50-80
Organic cow's milk	200ml	30-65
Yogurt	150g	50-100
Eggs	1 egg	20
Cheese	40g	15
White fish	100g	115
Oily fish	100g	50
Shellfish	100g	90
Meat	100g	10
Poultry	100g	10
Nuts	25g	5
Bread	1 slice	5
Fruit and veg	1 portion	3