Why is salt iodized?

Answer 1

It depends on where you are. In Australia and New Zealand there is a genal shortage of Iodine in the diet so some bright spark got the idea of putting it in the salt so that people would get enough of it. Iodine deficiency affects about 2000 million people worldwide and is also the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. It can also be the cause of thyroid gland problemsleading to goiter. In many countries and it can be easily prevented by the use of iodised saltIodine deficiency can be caused by our diet, e.g. not eating enough fish and other seafood that contains natural iodine.

Excessive use of table salt (NaCl) is also harmful, so a balanced seafood diet is better against mental and other malnutrition problems.

Answer 2

A lot of commercial salt is iodized to insure adequate iodine in the diets of people across the world. Iodine is normally taken up by (some) plants and is present in them when we eat them. But the mineral isn't found in a lot of the soil where they are grown. This is a broad problem, by the way. And one that is common throughout the world. Yes, it's that bad. But by iodizing salt, iodine is thus "sneaked into" the diet of many people who do not get sufficient iodine because of their diets. It's the 21st century, but we still need iodized salt to insure we get enough iodine to maintain our health. Even in America. A lot of poor people in India and Asian countries, as well as many in African countries, do not get sufficient iodine in their diets, and their overall health isn't as good as it could be if they had maintenance amounts in their diets - like from iodized salt. Actually, that's no always the case. Table salt often is because iodine is a needed nutrient. It is quite common for sea and kosher to be un-iodized.

Answer 3

Salt is sodium chloride (independent of the source is NaCl); iodized salt is better because iodine is indispensable for the organism (especially for the thyroid gland). A deficiency of iodine is practically equivalent to cretinism and goiter.

The use of iodized salt is strongly recommended by WHO and imposed by the legislation of many countries; iodized salt is useful also for animals !

Answer 4

It is very important that table salt is iodised; a deficiency of iodine lead to idiocy.