All nutrients

Iodine

Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make the hormones that regulate metabolism, and it contributes to normal cognitive function. Seafood, dairy and iodized salt are the main sources.

Adult daily reference intake: 150 µg

Sources: MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine), EU Regulation 432/2012, authorized health claims

Best food sources of iodine

Richest foods in each food group, per 100 g. Some foods, such as dried herbs, spices and oils, are eaten in far smaller amounts than 100 g, so a high rank does not always mean a meaningful contribution to a meal.

miscellaneous62 foods measured

  1. 1Gracilaria seaweeds (Gracilaria verrucosa), dried or dehydrated494000 µg329333%
  2. 2Tangle (Laminaria digitata), dried or dehydrated486000 µg324000%
  3. 3Sea belt (Saccharina latissima), dried or dehydrated341000 µg227333%
  4. 4Kombu or Japanese kelp (Laminaria japonica), dried or dehydrated236000 µg157333%
  5. 5North Atlantic rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum), dried or dehydrated68200 µg45467%
  6. 6Toothed wrack or bladder wrack (Fucus serratus et vesiculosus), dried or dehydrated40000 µg26667%
  7. 7Seaweed, agar, dried36000 µg24000%
  8. 8Carragheen mosses (Chondrus crispus), dried or dehydrated34600 µg23067%

meat, egg and fish408 foods measured

  1. 1Winkle, cooked570 µg380%
  2. 2Cod liver, raw500 µg333%
  3. 3Norway lobster, boiled/cooked in water394 µg263%
  4. 4Salmon roe, semi-preserved330 µg220%
  5. 5Seafood terrine, with or without fish, prepacked310 µg207%
  6. 6Haddock, steamed260 µg173%
  7. 7Shrimp, cooked260 µg173%
  8. 8Haddock, smoked255 µg170%

fats and oils19 foods measured

  1. 1Cod liver oil400 µg267%
  2. 2Vegetable oil (average)8.55 µg6%
  3. 3Butter spread, low-fat (average)5.09 µg3%
  4. 4Vegetable fat (margarine type), spreadable, fat content unknown, light, unsalted5 µg3%
  5. 5Fat spreadfat content unknown, unsalted (average)5 µg3%
  6. 6Butter, 60-62% fat, light, lightly salted2 µg1%
  7. 7Butter, light, 39-41% fat, unsalted2 µg1%
  8. 8Duck fat2 µg1%

cereal products33 foods measured

  1. 1Prawn crackers194 µg129%
  2. 2Gnocchi, from potato, cooked60 µg40%
  3. 3Blinis30 µg20%
  4. 4Country-style bread, home-made (with flour for bread making machine)22 µg15%
  5. 5Bread, French bread, ball, 400g20.7 µg14%
  6. 6Grissini or bread stick20 µg13%
  7. 7Bread, home-made, with flour for home-made bread preparation18.5 µg12%
  8. 8Corn chips or tortilla chips12 µg8%

milk and milk products163 foods measured

  1. 1Pyrénées cheese, from ewe's milk124 µg83%
  2. 2Parmesan cheese, from cow's milk90 µg60%
  3. 3Feta cheese, PDO80 µg53%
  4. 4Milk, powder, semi-skimmed77.5 µg52%
  5. 5Yogurt, ewe's milk, flavoured, w sugar70 µg47%
  6. 6Brie de Melun cheese, from cow's milk70 µg47%
  7. 7Cheese, dry, from goat's milk70 µg47%
  8. 8Gorgonzola cheese, from cow's milk70 µg47%

sugar and confectionery91 foods measured

  1. 1Muesli, flakes, fortified with vitamins and chemical elements (average food)82.7 µg55%
  2. 2Muesli (average)78.8 µg53%
  3. 3Dark chocolate bar, without sugar and with artificial sweeteners50 µg33%
  4. 4Apple crumble50 µg33%
  5. 5Fruit charlotte50 µg33%
  6. 6Muesli, crunchy, with fruits and/or dried fruits, grains (not fortified with vitamins and chemical elements)44 µg29%
  7. 7Cereal bar, low calorie43 µg29%
  8. 8Breakfast cereals, filled with chocolate or chocolate-hazelnuts, fortified with vitamins and chemical elements40 µg27%

beverages101 foods measured

  1. 1Strawberry flavoured milk, with sugar, partially skimmed, fortified with vitamins D66 µg44%
  2. 2Instant cocoa or chocolate beverage, with sugar, ready-to-drink (reconstituted with standard semi-skimmed milk)24.3 µg16%
  3. 3Tea leaf16 µg11%
  4. 4Chocolate flavoured milk, with sugar, partially skimmed, fortified with vitamins and chemicals elements15.4 µg10%
  5. 5Mix of chicory and coffee, instant, without sugar, ready-to-drink (reconstituted with standard semi-skimmed milk)10.4 µg7%
  6. 6Mixed fruits juice, reconstituted from a concentrate, standard10 µg7%
  7. 7Mixed fruits nectar10 µg7%
  8. 8Malted cocoa or chocolate powder for beverage, with sugar6 µg4%

fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts165 foods measured

  1. 1Spinach, young leaves, raw60 µg40%
  2. 2Potato flakes, dehydrated, with milk or cream39 µg26%
  3. 3Watercress, raw13.5 µg9%
  4. 4Pine nuts11.2 µg7%
  5. 5Fennel, boiled/cooked in water10 µg7%
  6. 6Apricot, canned in syrup (sugar content unknown), drained10 µg7%
  7. 7Fruit (average)6.83 µg5%
  8. 8Potato, cooked (average food)6.78 µg5%

ice cream and sorbet10 foods measured

  1. 1Profiteroles (chou pastry), with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce30 µg20%
  2. 2Ice cream, cone (normal size)22 µg15%
  3. 3baked Alaska20 µg13%
  4. 4Ice cream, chocolate coated16 µg11%
  5. 5Ice cream or sorbet or ice pop, flavoured (average)11.8 µg8%
  6. 6Peach melba (with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce)11.2 µg7%
  7. 7Ice cream, box or cup (average)10 µg7%
  8. 8Belle Helene pear dessert (cooked pear topped with hot chocolate sauce on a bed of vanilla ice cream)4.16 µg3%

Other11 foods measured

  1. 1Filo or phyllo pastry sheets, baked, without fat17.5 µg12%
  2. 2Puff pastry, pure butter, cooked13 µg9%
  3. 3Desert (average)11 µg7%
  4. 4Barley flour5 µg3%
  5. 5Rye flour, type 1704.6 µg3%
  6. 6Puff pastry, cooked2 µg1%
  7. 7Maize/corn starch0.6 µg<1%
  8. 8Maize/corn flour0.6 µg<1%

Values per 100 g from CIQUAL. Percentages are shares of the adult daily reference intake (EU Regulation 1169/2011, fiber from EFSA). Foods whose value is below the detection limit or reported as traces are not ranked, since the amount is unknown rather than zero.