After learning that fluorine, chlorine, and bromine compete with iodine, the natural next question is, Okay, so where do I actually encounter these? 1. Citrus sodas (like Mountain Dew, some orange sodas) - Many citrus flavored sodas historically used brominated vegetable oil (BVO) to keep flavor oils suspended. This should've stopped with any new inventory after Aug 30th, 2025 in the USA & Canada. - Bromine competes directly with iodine at the thyroid. - Even when BVO is removed, these drinks are may still be made with fluoridated and chlorinated water and synthetic dyes. 2.White commercial bread, bagels, and burger buns - Many industrial bakeries still use bromated flour to improve dough texture and shelf life. - That bromine becomes part of the food and enters the body again competing with iodine. 3.Sports drinks and neon-colored beverages Brightly colored sports drinks often contain - Artificial dyes - Processed water - Sometimes halogenated stabilizers 4.Fast-food fountain drinks These combine multiple factors- - Fluoridated water - Chlorinated water - Syrups with dyes and stabilizers - Plastic piping and storage 5.Packaged pastries and snack cakes - Donuts, toaster pastries, snack cakes, and shelf-stable baked goods often contain- - Brominated flour - Artificial colors (think of brightly colored donuts for example) - Industrial oils 6.Processed cheese slices and “neon” (red, blue, green, yellow, purple) snack foods Bright orange cheeses, chips, and snack foods often use synthetic dyes and highly processed inputs that increase chemical exposure without supporting mineral balance. These foods - Increase iodine competition - Increase halogen exposure - Displace nutrient dense foods that could be eaten instead - Increase metabolic and inflammatory burden Which can make thyroid function harder especially in midlife women with rising stress and declining resilience. FitnHealthy Forever Tip -