Among the essential trace minerals your diet should provide in ample amounts, iodine is one of the most important ones to include. This is especially true for vegans and some vegetarians whose diets strictly exclude abundant food sources of iodine. Iodine is one of the few nonmetallic elements your body needs and is required by your thyroid gland for the production of thyroid hormones.

Being deficient in iodine spells trouble for your whole body, not just your thyroid. This is because your thyroid hormones, which cannot be produced without iodine, help regulate your body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, as well as the growth of your hair, skin and nails. These hormones also help control your metabolism and the rate at which you burn calories and use energy. This means that they have a huge influence on your weight as well.

In this feature article, you will learn about the importance of iodine, the science behind its health benefits, and why nascent iodine is better than other forms of iodine supplements.