How to eat healthily has become a topic of increasing concern for people today. When it comes to diet and health, "selenium" is a topic that cannot be ignored.
Selenium has functions such as antioxidant and anti-aging properties, protecting and repairing nutrient cells, improving the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells, protecting the integrity of cell membranes, preventing carcinogenesis, and enhancing the body's immune function. In 1984, selenium was listed by the World Health Organization as an essential trace element for human life. More than 40 diseases that threaten human health and life, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, cataracts, poor child development, Kashin-Beck disease, and Keshan disease, are related to selenium deficiency. Experts are calling for selenium supplementation, just like iodine supplementation. However, selenium is scarce and unevenly distributed in nature. More than 40 countries worldwide are low-selenium or selenium-deficient regions, and 72% of China's areas are in a low-selenium or selenium-deficient ecological environment.
The important physiological functions of selenium for the human body are receiving increasing attention from scientists in various countries, and each country has established recommended selenium intakes based on its own situation. The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of selenium for adult men and women in the United States is 70 micrograms and 55 micrograms, respectively, and 75 micrograms and 60 micrograms in the United Kingdom. The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends an adult intake of 50-200 micrograms/day. A survey conducted by the Chinese Nutrition Society in 13 provinces and cities in China showed that the average daily selenium intake for adults was 26-32 micrograms, which is far from the minimum daily intake of 50 micrograms recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society.
Basically, all products labeled as "selenium-rich" are several to ten times more expensive than ordinary products, while truly natural selenium-rich products are extremely rare. Currently, the selenium-rich regions discovered in China include Jiangjin, Chongqing; Ping'an, Qinghai; Enshi, Hubei; Xintian, Hunan; Ankang, Shaanxi; Kaiyang, Guizhou; Longyou, Zhejiang; Zaozhuang, Shandong; Wanyuan, Sichuan; and Fengcheng, Jiangxi. Generally, plant-based foods have relatively low selenium content. Therefore, it is imperative to develop economical, convenient, and selenium-rich foods suitable for long-term consumption.