RP288 A Pinch of Salt

 RP288 A Pinch of Salt

Iodine is vital to our development, but we only need a pinch of it. Humans only need to eat about a teaspoon of iodine over their lifetime. However, getting that bit at the right time can be the difference between normal development and serious disability.

Iodine affects the thyroid gland, which controls growth, so getting enough iodine becomes important even before we are born. Fetuses' brains need iodine to develop properly. If a pregnant woman doesn't get enough iodine, her child will likely have some brain damage or a diminished intellect. After birth, nursing mothers must eat enough iodine to pass to their children through breast milk until the children can eat food. Though we only need a small amount, the consequences of iodine deficiency are terrible: developmental delays, depression, extreme tiredness, weight gain, and low body temperature.

It seems easy to get such a tiny bit of a nutrient, but iodine is scarce in many places. Iodine is found in salt water and in some soils, but not all. Heavy rains push iodine and other nutrients out of the soil, so countries with monsoons won't have much. Eating seafood is a great way to get iodine, but seafood and sea plants are a luxury for many people, particularly those in poor, landlocked areas. Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, Central America, parts of southern Africa, and parts of India and China have the most cases of iodine deficiency.

So salt is a savior. It costs just over a dollar to add iodine to a ton of salt, which can then be sold or given away. Iodized salt is now a key part to food aid. Providing iodized salt to poor women and children will help new generations grow up healthy and smart, two very important qualities for success.