I also prefer cooking with the flakier stuff because I can grab a pinch of it and sprinkle it in a controlled way.
I try to use iodized salt when it’s convenient: when salting pasta water, in baking, etc… but I wonder if my family is getting enough.
I try to use iodized salt when it’s convenient: when salting pasta water, in baking, etc… but I wonder if my family is getting enough.
One approach that can work is to use multivitamins. They usually have a lower dosage of everything than do single thing supplements. For example the iodine supplements I've seen are in the 225 mcg to 325 mcg range.
Most adult multivitamins seem to have 150 mcg.
If you want lower than that children's multivitamins can do the trick. Flintstone's have 90 mcg. House brands meant to directly compete with Flintstone's do not always copy the Flintstone's dosages, so be sure to check the label. Walmart's Equate brand for example is 150 mcg, same as most adult multivitamins.
I like to take children's vitamins as insurance. They have enough of many things that if I have a minor deficiency in my diet they should cover it, but not so much as to cause problems if my diet is sufficient or even a little high. Plus they taste good, which helps if you have other supplements you are taking that do not taste good.
The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg, so 325 should normally draw concern. However, the average iodine intake in Japan is well over 1000 mcg, to no ill effect. Too much iodine is definitely bad, but the dosage that is firmly established as causing problems (oddly, a similar effect as too little iodine) is at least another order of magnitude beyond the Japanese intake. (There may be weird interactions between iodine and fluoride, but that recent data is still very tentative and suspect, and even at 325 mcg/day isn't concerning.)
Supplements are made from kelp, so there's potential issues with heavy metals. But, again, the average Japanese intake of the types of heavy metals kelp accumulates is multiples of the US RDA limit, to no known ill effect. However, there are no USP or similar reputably certified iodine supplements, only certified multivitamins with iodine. That's more concerning to me than anything else.
Nonetheless, FWIW I give my kids an iodine supplement once or twice a week. I also cook with iodized salt, but we eat out or consume prepared food enough times in a week that I figured a supplement was worthwhile, all things considered. RDAs are typically computed by measuring urine excretion, so it's possible "topping up" iodine that way might not be very effective--just quickly excreted. I dunno.
Cows milk can be a good source of iodine, but my kids don't consume milk regularly, and only one drinks cows milk. Fortunately, they do like anchovies, so I try to add those into the mix.
Maybe it was just s bad batch. Anyway i use regular Maldon sea salt, it's perfect. It's like $2-3 or so for a pack that lasts for months. No need to fix what isn't broken.
My SO just has a habit of buying pointless crap some times.
That seems plausible. I definitely filter mine. You need at least a coarse filter for sand and whatnot, and various biofilms and whatnot are visibly problematic for culinary salt as you apply heat. I'm sure they're food-safe if you eat them fast enough that they don't rot, but a finer filter to get rid of that crap is prudent.
> no need to fix what isn't broken
Agreed. For most applications I portion out from a giant bag of salt from Costco or similar. The flaky sea salt is just a fun side-activity/hobby combined with a psychological aversion to paying market rates for flaky salt.
> buying pointless crap
Aw :(