Substituting regular salt for pink Himalayan salt could lead to an iodine deficiency, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) warned.
There is a wide variety of salt on the market, including pink Himalayan salt, but while new varieties might be fashionable, they could pose hidden risks to health, the HPA said on its Web site on March 26, adding that some people assume that imported salts are better.
Since the 1960s, the government has been adding iodine to salt, but other governments might not have the same policy, it said.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
Using salt without added iodine over long periods could cause an iodine deficiency, it said.
Not only does iodine affect the thyroid, a long-term iodine deficiency could also affect development in children, it said.
Iodized salt should be the main salt used at home, which can be ensured by buying iodized salt, checking iodine content on nutrition information and buying products that contain potassium iodide or potassium iodate, the HPA said.
Su Hsiu-yueh (蘇秀悅), director of the Nutrition Department at Taipei Medical University Hospital, said that while she would not typically recommend getting iodine from table salt, because excessive salt consumption can lead to other health problems, people who do use salt without iodine should compensate by eating seafood or seaweed.
For those with seafood allergies or thyroid disorders, special attention needs to be given to iodine intake, Su said.
People with hyperthyroidism should adopt a zero-iodine diet, while people with severe hypothyroidism are typically prescribed levothyroxine, she said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS