Iodine Content in Milk Alternatives

Iodine is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones and is acquired through the diet. Cow's milk is a primary source of iodine in the U.S. diet. The objective of this study was to measure the iodine content in a variety of milk alternatives to determine whether milk alternatives contain iodine levels comparable to that of cow's milk.

Iodine levels from 30 different brands of milk alternatives from 16 different companies were measured by the spectrophotometric method of the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction.

The 30 brands of milk alternatives contained an average of 3.1 ± 2.5 μg/250 mL (∼8 oz. or one cup, serving size) of iodine or 12.3 ± 10.1 μg/L (∼24 oz. or four cups, daily recommended serving for adequate calcium intake) of iodine.

These results indicate that milk alternatives contain far less iodine than cow's milk. Individuals with restricted dairy product consumption are at risk for inadequate dietary iodine intake.