You’ve heard about how vitamins are good for you. But did you know that the body also requires minerals - 16 in fact - to stay healthy. Iodine and Iron are among the essential nutrients that you need to function normally and feel good.
Low Iodine can be linked to a number of health problems. Iodine deficiency is the primary cause of mental retardation and brain damage, most affecting the brain of the developing foetus and young children. Low iodine also affects expectant mothers and has been associated with infant mortalism, abortions, and stillbirths. Perhaps the most visible form of iodine deficiency is Goitre, an abnormally enlarged thyroid gland that can result from a deficiency of iodine in the diet.
Iron keeps the blood strong and is a necessary mineral for normal body function and good health. Lack of iron in the blood can lead to anemia, a very common nutritional deficiency, especially in children. While anemia is known to affect the physical and cognitive performance of individuals, iron deficiency also has devastating effects on maternal and fetal health - 20 percent of maternal deaths globally can be attributed to anemia (UNICEF).
WHO estimates suggest that more than one third of the world’s population suffers from anemia, mostly iron deficiency anemia. India continues to be one of the countries with very high prevalence. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) shows the occurrence of anemia to be 70-80 percent in children, 70 percent in pregnant women and 24 percent in adult men.
Similarly, it is estimated that 150 million people in the country are afflicted with Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).
The results of sample surveys conducted by the Indian Ministry of Health and the National Iodine Deficiencies Disorders Programme (NIDDP) in 325 districts (covering all States/ Union Territories) reveal that more than 10 percent of the population in 263 districts suffer from IDD.
A diet devoid of a few basic nutrients is the root cause for Anemia. Anemia as is popularly believed is caused by malnutrition. Though true it is not the complete truth. Anemia is a condition wherein the red blood count in a human body is low. The solution to these nutritional deficiencies could be very simple. As effortless as cooking with salt. Researchers from the Micronutrient Initiative and The University of Toronto have now found a way to fortify table salt with both iron and iodine without the nutrients cancelling each other out.
Who would have thought that providing two of the most vital micronutrients for mental ability, human productivity, and infant survival, could be as easy as reaching for the salt?
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