Iodine is a nutrient that is vital to our health. We need just enough of it but not too much, as having excess can result in problems as well. Getting iodine from a health natural source is usually more preferable than supplementing it in pill form for most people.
And this brings me to iodine in moringa. Moringa is considered a superfood because it is absolutely jammed packed with nutrients, iodine being one. But before I get into that I want to touch upon why we need iodine, which is very important to know, although you probably are already aware of this.
Why We Need Iodine
Iodine is found in every organ in tissue in the human body. It is absolutely essential and having to little iodine can result in a number of diseases and problems. Iodine deficiency has even been linked to cancer in some studies.
Getting enough iodine has always been a struggle for people. It has to come from our diets because our body is unable to synthesize it. Because of this difficulty the government actually came up with the idea of putting iodine in table salt back in 1924. That is why you will see salt labeled as “Iodized Salt” at the grocery store.
According to the National Institutes of Health, women and men over the age of 19 should be looking to get 150 micrograms of iodine per day. But of course many fall short of this.
Iodine deficiency can lead to dry skin, headaches, constipation, fatigue, thyroid problems, and many more. Goiter, which is what you call the condition of an enlarged thyroid gland due to this deficiency is very common.
What is interesting is that iodine overdose, or having too much iodine intake causes many of the same symptoms as not having enough. Goiter for example can be caused by both.
Iodine Content of Moringa
There really isn’t much information on the iodine content in moringa that I could find. There are many sources of nutritional analysis of moringa, such as the USDA, but they never list the iodine content. I am not sure why this is but apparently iodine isn’t important enough to make the nutritional facts list although it is extremely important.
Anyway, I wasn’t able to find the exact amount of iodine that it has but I was able to find scientific studies and reputable sources that conclude moringa is a good source of iodine and can be used to treat many conditions that are associated with iodine deficiency.
In The Merck Index 14th Edition 4 moringa leaves are listed as a good sourced of iodine that provide it in “gentle amounts”. This suggests that it contains iodine in low amounts that are not overwhelming to the body.
Should You Take Moringa as a Source of Iodine?
If you are extremely low on iodine then this probably isn’t the best source because it doesn’t seem to contain an abundance of it. However, if you are looking for an extremely healthy natural source that contains a “gentle amount” of iodine then moringa would be a good choice.
Not only will moringa supply your body with a healthy amount of iodine but you will also benefit in numerous other ways due to the insane nutritional value that this superfood has.
I would like to say thank you very much for the interesting article and information about the moringa plant medical health benefits and usage, this article the best i have read
does the moringa has effect or increases our general immune system ?
Thanks for the info. We have a moringa tree in our yard and every time a storm blows down a branch we harvest the leaves and dry them. Blender works great to cut the dry leaves into powder. Just run through a fine mesh sieve!
Is there information out there on extracting the iodine properties in moringa to use as a topical agent for skin infections?
Not that I know of.
I have a Goiter
Can Moringa is OK to take it??