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Iodised salt

What the research shows

Prototype

Unclear

the research on this page hasn’t settled it

2 health findings on this page · See the findings

Salt mixed with a tiny amount of iodine salts.

It prevents iodine deficiency, which causes thyroid problems and developmental disabilities.

Written from Open Food Facts and English Wikipedia12

What research says

Studies in people

  • Benefit

    Iodine deficiency progress3

    In some countries, more dietary salt was adequately iodised, and many reached or neared eliminating iodine deficiency.

  • Open question

    Iodine levels in pregnancy4

    In pregnant women in Turkey, iodised salt use was common but many still had low iodine levels.

Study type not stated

  • Open question

    Child growth5

    Scientists do not yet know whether iodised salt helps children grow, as no review has pulled the evidence together.

How it’s made and used

  • Iodine in cooking6

    In bouillon sold in Senegal, iodised salt kept most of its iodine after six months and after cooking in broth or rice.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

References

  1. 1iodised salt: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
  2. 2Iodised salt. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  3. 3Doggui R, Al-Jawaldeh H, Al-Jawaldeh A. Trend of Iodine Status in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Impact of the Universal Salt Iodization Programs: a Narrative Review. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;198(2):390-402. doi:10.1007/s12011-020-02083-1
  4. 4Isiklar Ozberk D, Kutlu R, Kilinc I, Kilicaslan AO. Effects of mandatory salt iodization on breast milk, urinary iodine concentrations, and thyroid hormones: is iodine deficiency still a continuing problem? J Endocrinol Invest. 2019;42(4):411-418. doi:10.1007/s40618-018-0930-0
  5. 5Farebrother J, Naude CE, Nicol L, Andersson M, Zimmermann MB. Iodised salt and iodine supplements for prenatal and postnatal growth: a rapid scoping of existing systematic reviews. Nutr J. 2015;14:89. doi:10.1186/s12937-015-0079-z
  6. 6Spohrer R, Knowles J, Jallier V, et al. Estimation of population iodine intake from iodized salt consumed through bouillon seasoning in Senegal. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2015;1357:43-52. doi:10.1111/nyas.12963