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grumble11 t1_j9188om wrote

Iodine is in seawater so was part of the environment of early life. This meant that evolution incorporated it into its core chemistry - it was always around. As animals arose on land some areas were iodine deficient but the element was firmly in biology by then

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[deleted] t1_j91mmqh wrote

[deleted]

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CocktailChemist t1_j92bzxl wrote

To add to this, it’s also why you’re mostly likely to find halogen-containing biomolecules in aquatic species, especially marine mollusks. The dye Tyrian purple would be a classic example.

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Y_m_l t1_j92uv6z wrote

It's wild to me that that molecule and it's derivatives are so localized to certain species. For folks information, Tyrian purple is indigo that has been substituted on both ends with bromine groups (6,6'-dibromoindigo). Indigo itself is only found in a couple species (indigo and woad are the most prevalent). Also Tyrian purple was harvested by "milking" a certain snail for minute amounts of the dye.

I went to a farm near me to buy some madder (the roots of which contains the anthraquinoidal dye alizarin) and one of the farmers, an older man, told me all of that above and I asked him if he was a chemist? Non chemists don't use words like "substituents."

"In a past life," he said.

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The_Flapjack_Kid t1_j92fjsi wrote

I use Dulse flakes ( dried seaweed ) daily to get my dose of iodine. It's loaded with the stuff.

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Welpe t1_j948ieu wrote

Im a bit shocked your normal diet doesn’t provide you with enough iodine. Are you on some crazy restrictive diet?

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grumble11 t1_j98sdew wrote

Iodine deficiency of some kind isn’t all that rare actually - even in the first world. Severe iodine deficiency used to be very common in the Midwest, with supplementation in salt increasing IQ in the region by double digits. 70% of UK people tested in a 2011 study were iodine deficient. It remains one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies worldwide.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine_deficiency

I kind of worry about it coming back, as restaurant, fast food and processed food is commonly not using iodized salt, and at home ‘sea salt’ that hasn’t been iodized is trendy. Dairy is another important source of iodine but processing facility changes have reduced milk content. This opens the door to more regional or sub population deficiency

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imasitegazer t1_j932vqo wrote

Do those have less oil than the seaweed sheets? So many seaweed sheets are covered in sunflower oil which I’m allergic to.

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The_Flapjack_Kid t1_j9362mb wrote

The only ingredient is dried organic Dulse. I sprinkle one teaspoon a day on my lunch, that's all you need.

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