Why You Should Eat Seaweed The importance of iodine in cognitive health

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1 Why You Should Eat Seaweed The importance of iodine in cognitive health Fiona Houston Mara Seaweed SeaEO and co-founder November 22 nd

2 The importance of iodine in cognitive health About Mara Seaweed Why eat seaweed What is iodine and its role in the body The effects of iodine deficiency Why modern diets lack iodine How seaweed can address iodine deficiency 2

3 What is Mara Seaweed? Mara believes that seaweed sourced from the wild, pure oceans of the North Atlantic around Scotland and Ireland can: Nourish your body Enhance your food Enrich your soul, by sustaining the environment and the coastal ecosystem Mara means the sea in Gaelic The Mara story is of a female-founded company which set out to put an ancient Scottish superfood back onto modern menus. Here s why

4 Why eat seaweed? Seaweed contains all 56 vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and trace elements essential for human health The harmonious balance of elements makes seaweed more nutritionally potent than any land vegetable, e.g. vitamin C aids iron absorption Because the nutrients in seaweed are present in their natural form, they re readily absorbed and processed 4

5 Seaweed compared 2g Kombu seaweed contains More potassium than 85g of plain non-fat yoghurt The same amount of magnesium as half a banana As much calcium as 10g of almonds Seaweed is 85% lower in sodium than table or premium salt High in fibre, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, minerals Low fat, low in calories, vegan, gluten free, raw The best natural source of iodine 5

6 What is iodine? An essential mineral stored in the thyroid and used all over the body Synthesises the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), vital for a growing foetus and for normal growth and brain development 6

7 Experiencing iodine deficiency Feeling cold all the time, thinning hair, dry skin, slow heart rate, muscle aches Severe iodine deficiency displays as goitre 7

8 At risk of iodine deficiency Iodine is hugely important in foetal development and early years cognitive growth (Bath et al., 2013) 8

9 The current situation Iodine deficiency has been identified as a serious health problem in Europe since 1992 The World Health Organisation stated iodine deficiency is the world s greatest single cause of preventable brain damage. (Andersson et al., 2007) 2 billion people worldwide have insufficient iodine intake (de Benoit et al., 2007) 76% of British teenage school girls and 66% of adult women test as iodine insufficient (Vanderpump et al., 2011) 52% of students aged 25 tested as iodine insufficient (Combet et al., 2014) 49% babies are mildly iodine insufficient (Skeaff et al., 2005) 9

10 Affecting the next generation Even mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy has an irreversible impact on children s educational outcomes in the first 9 years of life (Hynes et al., 2013) Autism in children is four times more likely if the mother had a weakened thyroid gland while pregnant (Román et al., 2013). A slightly lower than average IQ affects economic success: a one-point increase in a nation s average IQ has been associated with a persistent 0.1% annual increase in GDP per person (Bath et al., 2013) 10

11 Where did all the iodine go? Iodine is naturally found in soil and seawater BUT is weakened by chemicals in pesticides, plastic, additives (Farrow, 2013) Fish, milk, yoghurt, eggs and sea salt are good sources of iodine BUT Vegan and low-salt diets are increasingly popular Concentrations are reduced through cooking (Goindi, et al. 1995) 11

12 Seeking a solution For diagnosed hypothyroidism, prescribed drugs such as Thyroxine or Iodoral (for life) Iodized salt Contains potassium iodide, which the thyroid must convert Creates a spike-and-crash effect Many diets are already too high in salt Or seaweed Iodine in seaweed is bioavailable and easily absorbed by the body (Combet et al., 2014) 12

13 Choose seaweed Seaweed contains iodine in greater quantities than any other food 1tsp seaweed can contain up to 10x more than the RDI of iodine But excess is removed through urine (Combet et al., 2014) The iodine in seaweed is chelated (natural), so it is ready for the body to use This releases a steady stream of iodine into the bloodstream Seaweed can be taken as a capsule or enjoyed with food Even intermittent consumption is sufficient, since iodine is stored in the thyroid 13

14 Positive effects of seaweed Seaweed given to asymptomatic women of child-bearing age with low consumption of iodine-rich foods brought their iodine levels up to sufficient, with improved thyroid function (Combet et al., 2014) Wider benefits (Jasper et al., 2013) Preventative effects for diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cancer, dementia, osteoporosis, inflammatory conditions, menopausal symptoms Improved heart health, digestive health, joint health, antiviral properties 14

15 Kay s story I started eating a teaspoon of Mara Kombu seaweed daily on buttery toast, on a poached egg, in soup and when I was re-tested my iodine levels were normal. I have subsequently been re-tested for iodine deficiency, first every six months for a couple of years, then every nine months, and now annually, and my readings have remained in the normal range. I have no explanation for why this happened other than that the kombu helped me to regain my thyroidic equilibrium. 15

16 Use code FOODMATTERS for 15% discount Fiona Houston SeaEO and co-founder Mara Seaweed 6 Long Craig Rigg West Shore Road Granton, Edinburgh EH5 1QT 16