Does Canned Salmon Have Iodine? A Detailed Look at This Important Nutrient

This information describes dietary (eating and drinking) guidelines to help you follow a low-iodine diet. It also includes a sample low-iodine menu and answers some commonly asked questions about a low-iodine diet. A low-iodine diet is a diet with less than 50 micrograms (mcg) of iodine per day.

Iodine (I-oh-dine) is a mineral. Minerals are a type of nutrient your body needs to work properly. Iodine is used by your body to make hormones that help keep other parts of your body in check, like the hormones your thyroid gland makes.

All of the iodine in your body comes from your diet. Most of the iodine in your diet comes from iodized salt and other products made with added iodine. Only a few foods (such as seaweed, dairy, and some fish) naturally have iodine in them.

Iodine is an essential trace mineral that is vital for thyroid health, growth and development. Many people wonder if canned salmon contains iodine. The answer is yes, canned salmon is a good source of iodine. This article will take a detailed look at the iodine content in canned salmon and explain why this nutrient is so important.

An Overview of Iodine

Iodine is a mineral found mostly in seawater, seaweed and in the soil of coastal areas The body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones which control metabolism, growth, and other important functions.

The recommended daily intake for iodine is 150 micrograms for adults. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need higher amounts around 220-250 micrograms per day. Newborns and children also require adequate iodine intake for proper brain development.

Seafood is one of the best sources of dietary iodine because fish and shellfish absorb iodine from seawater. Dairy products and some vegetables grown in iodine-rich soil also provide iodine. However most dietary iodine comes from iodized salt.

Iodine deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world, affecting nearly one-third of the global population. Even mild deficiency can cause thyroid problems leading to fatigue, weight gain and other symptoms. Severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy impairs fetal brain development.

Getting adequate iodine from seafood like canned salmon helps prevent deficiency. Eating a variety of iodine-rich foods is important, along with a balanced diet for optimal health.

Iodine Content in Canned Salmon

Canned salmon is packed with essential nutrients including high-quality protein, vitamin D, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and iodine.

A 3-ounce serving of canned salmon provides approximately

35-45 micrograms of iodine

This supplies around 23-30% of the recommended daily iodine intake.

The iodine content does vary between different brands and types of canned salmon. Sockeye salmon tends to be higher in iodine than pink salmon. Some factors that affect iodine levels include:

Salmon species – Sockeye and Coho have more iodine than Pink and Chum
Harvest location – Salmon from the Pacific Ocean have higher levels than Atlantic
Processing method – Fresh salmon has a bit more iodine than canned

Overall canned salmon is one of the best sources of iodine among commonly consumed seafood. Oysters and cod provide a bit more, while canned tuna has slightly lower amounts.

Health Benefits of Iodine from Salmon

Getting enough iodine from nutrient-dense foods like salmon offers many health perks. Here are some of the top benefits of iodine:

Supports thyroid function – Iodine is used to form thyroid hormones T3 and T4 which regulate metabolism. Low iodine impairs thyroid function and causes hypothyroidism.
Boosts energy – Iodine assists with energy production and prevents fatigue.
Aids growth and development – Children need adequate iodine for proper brain and nervous system development.
Improves cognition – Iodine deficiency causes learning disabilities and reduced IQ.
Optimizes metabolism – Thyroid hormones made from iodine control the body’s metabolic rate.
Encourages immune function – Iodine has antibacterial and antiviral effects that support immunity.
Maintains bone health – The thyroid gland uses iodine to incorporate calcium into bone and improve mineral density.
Promotes pregnancy health – Iodine is especially crucial before and during pregnancy to prevent brain abnormalities in infants.

Along with these iodine benefits, canned salmon also provides high-quality protein for maintaining muscle mass plus omega-3s for heart health, making it an excellent addition to a healthy diet.

Recommended Intake of Iodine

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) has set the following daily iodine needs:

Infants 0-12 months – 110-130 mcg
Children 1-8 years – 90-120 mcg
Children 9-13 years – 120 mcg
Teens 14-18 years – 150 mcg
Adults 19+ years – 150 mcg
Pregnant women – 220 mcg
Breastfeeding women – 290 mcg

Eating a 3-ounce serving of canned salmon provides 35-45 mcg iodine, supplying around 25% of the RDA for most adults. While a single serving meets a quarter of your daily needs, eating salmon regularly as part of a balanced diet ensures you get sufficient amounts of this essential mineral.

Ways to Get Enough Iodine

Here are some healthy tips to get all the iodine your body requires:

Eat canned salmon 1-2 times per week
Include other seafood like shrimp, cod and tuna
Choose iodized table salt over sea salt
Eat dairy foods like yogurt and cheese
Enjoy eggs a few times a week
Cook with iodized salt instead of kosher salt
Consume seaweed like nori in sushi once in a while
Take a multivitamin containing iodine
Ask your doctor to check iodine status if concerned

As long as you don’t overdo seaweed portions, alternating different seafood, dairy and eggs while using iodized salt should help you easily meet iodine needs.

Risks of Low Iodine Levels

Mild iodine deficiency is common worldwide, especially in parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Although severe deficiency is rare in developed countries, even moderately low intakes can negatively impact health:

Hypothyroidism – low thyroid hormone production
Goiter – enlarged thyroid gland in the neck
Impaired growth and development in children
Reduced IQ and cognitive function
Difficulty concentrating and remembering
Fatigue, weakness and lethargy
Depression, anxiety and irritability
Sensitivity to temperature changes
Dry skin and hair
Weight gain and fluid retention
Breast pain or fibrocystic disease in women
Increased risk of stillbirth and miscarriage in pregnant women

Getting sufficient iodine from fish like canned salmon, dairy, eggs and iodized salt can prevent these negative effects of iodine deficiency.

Risks of Excess Iodine Intake

While iodine deficiency is more prevalent, getting extremely high amounts from supplements can also cause problems in some cases:

Iodine-induced hyperthyroidism
Autoimmune thyroid disease
Goiter and thyroid enlargement
Acne breakouts
Rash or irritation
Nausea, diarrhea and stomach pain
Elevated heart rate and palpitations

Unless you take very high-dose iodine supplements or eat huge amounts of seaweed, excess iodine is uncommon as the body regulates absorbed amounts. The upper limit for safe iodine intake is 1,100 mcg per day for most adults.

Iodine Content in Different Canned Salmon

The iodine content in canned salmon depends on the specific type and brand. Here is a comparison:

Pink salmon – 19.5 mcg in 3 ounces
Sockeye salmon – 47.3 mcg in 3 ounces
Coho salmon – 32.9 mcg in 3 ounces
Red salmon – 41.2 mcg in 3 ounces
Canned salmon average – Around 35 to 45 mcg per 3 ounces

To get the most iodine, choose Sockeye salmon. However all canned salmon varieties provide a significant amount of this important mineral.

Canned Salmon Iodine Compared to Other Foods

Here is how the iodine in 3 ounces of canned salmon compares to other iodine-rich foods:

Canned salmon: 35-45 mcg
Cod fish: 60 mcg
Shrimp: 35 mcg
Plain yogurt: 75 mcg
Baked potato with skin: 60 mcg
Egg: 25 mcg
Canned tuna: 17 mcg
Whole milk: 56 mcg
Seaweed is extremely high in iodine but intake should be limited.

For most people, canned salmon provides around a quarter of iodine needs for the day. Combined with other fish, dairy and eggs, you can easily obtain sufficient iodine.

Iodine Content in Wild vs Farmed Salmon

Wild salmon tends to be higher in iodine compared to farmed:

Wild salmon: Around 50 mcg in 3 ounces
Farmed salmon: Approximately 20 mcg in 3 ounces

The high levels in wild salmon can be attributed to their diverse natural diet including iodine-rich crustaceans and algae. Farmed salmon are fed a controlled pel

does canned salmon have iodine

Breads, cereals, and grains

Eat 4 to 6 servings of breads, cereals, and grains every day. One slice of bread or ½ cup of cooked pasta or grains is 1 serving.

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
Plain cooked barley, oats, millet, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, and quinoa Cereals, pastas, and rice made without ingredients that contain a lot of iodine Homemade bread made without iodized salt Plain unsalted rice cakes Plain unsalted matzo Plain unsalted popcorn Thomas’® Original English Muffins Commercial (store-bought) breads made without iodate bread conditioners (such as Pepperidge Farm® Whole Grain, Arnold® 100% Whole Wheat and Country Style White, Oroweat® 100% Whole Wheat, and Nature’s Own® 100% Whole Wheat and Honey Wheat)	Commercial (store-bought) breads, rolls, bagels, and bialys made with iodate bread conditioners (such as Wonder® Classic White Bread). Read the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts label carefully. If it lists “potassium iodate” or “calcium iodate,” don’t buy it. Commercial (store-bought) bakery products made with iodate bread conditioners. Read the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts label carefully. If it lists “potassium iodate” or “calcium iodate,” don’t buy it.

Foods to include

Foods to avoid

Plain cooked barley, oats, millet, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, and quinoa
Cereals, pastas, and rice made without ingredients that contain a lot of iodine
Homemade bread made without iodized salt
Plain unsalted rice cakes
Plain unsalted matzo
Plain unsalted popcorn
Thomas’® Original English Muffins
Commercial (store-bought) breads made without iodate bread conditioners (such as Pepperidge Farm® Whole Grain, Arnold® 100% Whole Wheat and Country Style White, Oroweat® 100% Whole Wheat, and Nature’s Own® 100% Whole Wheat and Honey Wheat)

Commercial (store-bought) breads, rolls, bagels, and bialys made with iodate bread conditioners (such as Wonder® Classic White Bread). Read the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts label carefully. If it lists “potassium iodate” or “calcium iodate,” don’t buy it.
Commercial (store-bought) bakery products made with iodate bread conditioners. Read the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts label carefully. If it lists “potassium iodate” or “calcium iodate,” don’t buy it.

Milk and dairy products

Avoid milk and dairy products. It’s okay to have 1 ounce of milk per day (such as in your coffee or tea).

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
1 ounce of milk per day	More than 1 ounce of milk per day Dairy products (such as condensed or evaporated milk, cheeses, yogurts, puddings, ice creams, whipped cream, and sour cream) Food made with cream, milk, or cheese (such as soup, pizza, and macaroni and cheese) Nondairy creamers

Eat as many servings of fruit per day as you want. One small piece of fruit or ¾ cup of fruit juice is 1 serving.

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
Fresh fruits Canned or frozen fruits Dried fruits Applesauce (both store-bought and homemade) Fresh fruit juices (including bottles or cartons of fruit juice without artificial coloring or preservatives)	Canned or bottled cherries made with Red Dye #3

Eat as many servings of vegetables per day as you want. One cup of raw vegetables or ½ cup of cooked vegetables is 1 serving.

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
Fresh vegetables Fresh white or sweet potatoes without skin Plain frozen vegetables Fresh or dried green peas Canned vegetables and vegetable juices Canned soups without beans or lentils	Canned, fresh, or dried beans and lentils (such as red kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, lima beans, and black-eyed peas) Frozen vegetables with added salt Commercially prepared (store-bought) potatoes (such as instant mashed potatoes that may contain milk) Canned soups with beans or lentils Seaweed (such as kelp, nori, kombu, and wakame)

Eat 4 to 6 servings of fats every day. One teaspoon of butter or oil is 1 serving.

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
Unsalted margarine or sweet butter (no more than 1 teaspoon of each per day) Oils (such as olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and avocado oil) Vegetable shortening Unsalted nuts and nut butters (such as peanut, almond, and cashew butter)	Salted nuts and nut butters Salted seeds Mayonnaise Lard Soybean oil

Limit to 2 servings per day. Each item in the “include” column is 1 serving.

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
2 tablespoons of sugar 2 tablespoons of honey 2 tablespoons of maple syrup 2 regular-sized marshmallows ½ cup sorbet 1 snack Jell-O® gelatin Food sweeteners (such as Sweet and Low®, Equal®, and Splenda®) Nondairy or vegan chocolate Plain cocoa powder	Commercial (store-bought) bakery products made with iodate bread conditioners (such as pies, cakes, pastries, danishes, muffins, donuts, and cookies). Read the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts label carefully. If it lists “potassium iodate” or “calcium iodate,” don’t buy it. Chocolate (including chocolate desserts and candy) Pudding Blackstrap molasses (made from sugar cane)

Eat as many servings of condiments per day as you want.

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
Ketchup, mustard, tomato sauce, chili sauce, and gravy made without milk or butter Oils (such as olive oil) Vinegars Plain oil and white vinegar dressing Non-creamy salad dressings Jellies, jams, and preserves	Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and fish sauce All gravies that contain milk or butter Iodized salt All types of seaweed Any food containing food coloring, iodates, iodides, iodate bread conditioners, or stabilizers such as algin, alginates, carrageenan, and agar-agar Bouillon cubes, stock, broth, and other soup bases

Foods to include	Foods to avoid
Pepper Spices (such as cinnamon and nutmeg) Herbs (such as oregano) Small amounts of spice mixtures and seasonings made without iodized salt Baking powder Baking soda	Fast food, including Chinese food Herbal supplements Multivitamins, vitamins, and supplements that contain iodine Red or orange food coloring made with Red Dye #3 Oral nutrition supplements including Boost, Ensure, Glucerna, and all other supplements and protein shakes that contain added iodine, carrageenan, or agar-agar

Meal	Food Groups	Example Meal
Breakfast	1 serving of fruit 3 servings of bread or cereal 1 serving of protein 1 drink	½ cup of orange juice ½ cup of oatmeal made with water 1 plain unsalted matzo or 1 Thomas’ Original English Muffin 1 egg white omelet 1 cup of brewed coffee (no milk) 2 teaspoons of sugar
Morning snack	1 serving of bread or cereal 1 serving of fat 1 drink	2 plain unsalted rice cakes 1 teaspoon of unsalted butter 1 cup of water
Lunch	1 serving of meat 2 servings of fat 2 servings of bread or cereal 1 serving of vegetables 1 serving of fat 1 drink	3 ounces of unsalted turkey breast, cooked at home 2 teaspoons of oil 2 slices of homemade bread or store-bought bread that doesn’t contain iodate bread conditioners 1 cup of romaine lettuce with sliced vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, and peppers) dressed with oil and vinegar 1 cup of fresh lemonade
Afternoon snack	1 serving of fruit 1 serving of protein	1 fresh apple 2 tablespoons of unsalted peanut butter
Dinner	1 serving of meat 4 servings of vegetables 2 servings of fats 1 serving of fruit 1 drink	3 ounces of roast beef, cooked at home 1 baked potato (no skin) 1 cup of green beans or other non-starchy vegetable 2 teaspoons of oil (used in cooking) 1 orange 1 cup of white tea
Evening snack	1 serving of fruit 1 drink	1 small pear 1 cup of tea made from fresh tea leaves

The iodine content of many foods isn’t known. Remember, this is a low-iodine diet, not a non-iodine diet. We want you to use our list of foods to eat and foods to stay away from as a guide. Your clinical dietitian nutritionist can be reached at 212-639-7312 or by calling your clinical dietitian nutritionist. You can reach a staff member Monday through Friday, from to.

Not always. Sodium and iodine aren’t the same thing. Most commercial food manufacturers use non-iodized salt in their products. But, it’s hard to know for sure. It’s best to choose unsalted products in case a salted product contains iodine.

We encourage you to follow our list of recommended foods to include and foods to avoid. This is because the iodine content of many foods isn’t known and not all Internet sources are correct.

Yes. We suggest that you only use small amounts of non-iodized salt because it may still have a small amount of iodine in it. If you need salt, choose kosher salt or Morton® Plain Table Salt and use only small amounts.

We recommend that you don’t eat any candy that has chocolate in it, because chocolate contains milk. But most hard candies are okay to eat if they don’t contain Red Dye #3. Read the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts label of the candy to check if it contains Red Dye #3. If you aren’t sure if the candy contains Red Dye #3, don’t eat it. We also recommend GoNaturally™ Organic Honey Lemon hard candies for dry mouth.

Don’t stop taking any of your medications unless your healthcare provider tells you to. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about your medications.

Tell your healthcare provider about any vitamins or supplements you’re taking. You’ll need to stop taking them if they contain iodine.

Vitamins and supplements aren’t regulated (checked for safety, content, or quality) the same way other medications are. This makes it hard to tell if they contain iodine. If you aren’t sure if a vitamin or supplement contains iodine, don’t take it.

Ask your healthcare provider about drinking alcohol.

Use the number 212-639-7312 to set up a time to talk to a clinical dietitian nutritionist at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). You can reach a staff member Monday through Friday, from to.

7 Iodine Rich Foods (plus 1 MYTH) – 2024

FAQ

Which fish has the most iodine in it?

In general, seafood is a good source of iodine. However, cod is particularly high in this essential mineral. One serving, or 3 ounces (oz.) of cod contains roughly 158 mcg of iodine , meeting the RDI for most adults.

Do canned foods have iodine?

*Processed foods, such as canned soups, almost never contain iodized salt. In addition, specialty salts, such as sea salt, kosher salt, Himalayan salt, and fleur de sel, are not usually iodized.

Does canned tuna contain iodine?

Fish higher in fat offer lower amounts of iodine. Since tuna is a fattier fish, the amount of iodine found in tuna is lower than leaner fish varieties, such as cod ( 22 ). However, tuna is still a relatively good source of iodine, as three ounces provide 17 mcg, or about 11% of the recommended daily intake ( 6 ).

How much iodine is in salmon?

A 3-ounce serving of cooked salmon contains about 40 micrograms of iodine. This is about 25% of the recommended daily intake of iodine for adults. So, including salmon in your diet can help you meet your iodine needs. If you’re someone who is looking to boost your iodine intake, adding salmon to your diet can be a great way to do so.

Is cinnamon allowed on a low iodine diet?

Cinnamon is a spice that is allowed on a low-iodine diet as long as it does not contain any iodine additives or other high-iodine ingredients.

Does wild caught salmon have more iodine?

Yes, wild-caught salmon generally contains more iodine compared to farm-raised salmon. So, if you’re looking to increase your iodine intake, opt for wild-caught salmon. 8. Can iodine in salmon help with thyroid issues?

Can salmon lose iodine?

Cooking methods like baking, broiling, or grilling salmon can help retain its iodine content. Boiling salmon, on the other hand, can lead to some iodine loss. 12. Can iodine in salmon help with weight management?