10 Foods that Affect Thyroid Health For Better or For Worse
Food heals. And when it comes to thyroid health, it’s all the more true. Diet often plays a key role in whether your thyroid is functioning properly, so it makes sense to start there when you’re aiming to restore the health of your thyroid. Food can be your friend or your enemy when you’re dealing with thyroid trouble, depending on which foods you’re focusing on.
Coconut oil. For many people, the simple act of eating more coconut oil is enough to raise their body temperature and supply them with natural energy, which indicates the powerful role coconut oil plays in thyroid health. Find high quality coconut oil on my Resources page.
Eggs. Similar to butter, eggs are a rich source of vitamin A and iodine. Plus, they are en excellent source of protein. Getting plenty of natural amino acids through protein is good for your thyroid.
Seafood. The richest source of natural iodine, seafood played an important role in traditional Asian cultures. These people ate soy (highly fermented, of course) on a daily basis, but also ate plenty of iodine-rich seafood to counteract soy’s anti-nutrients. Sea vegetables like kelp and dulce are especially nutritious, and so is genuine fish broth.
Wheat and other grains like rye, barley, millet and oats. There has been some evidence of the link between gluten-sensitivity and poor thyroid function. If your thyroid isn’t in great shape, you’ll probably be better off restricting your intake of gluten. Millet contains goitrogens, and should be avoided if you’re concerned about your thyroid.
Soy in its many forms. Soy is a powerful food. Even a small serving of soy each day is enough to suppress thyroid function. So give your thyroid a break and ditch the soy.
Soy. Yes, I am including this one twice because it’s one of the worst foods for your thyroid. Don’t underestimate how damaging this food is to your metabolism.
Coffee. Caffeine overstimulates the thyroid and interferes with the absorption of nutrients that could benefit thyroid health. It's best to limit your consumption of caffeine-laden beverages like coffee.
Remember that regardless of what you are or aren’t eating, not eating enough is a surefire way to interfere with natural thyroid function. Dieting and under-eating are top contributors to thyroid imbalances, so make sure you are eating plenty of real food for your activity level and lifestyle.
Some of the information above came from two of my favorite books: Eat Fat, Lose Fat and The Mood Cure. To read my reviews of these books, check here and here.
This post is part of Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade.
Coconut oil. For many people, the simple act of eating more coconut oil is enough to raise their body temperature and supply them with natural energy, which indicates the powerful role coconut oil plays in thyroid health. Find high quality coconut oil on my Resources page.
Cod liver oil. The bioavailable vitamin A in cod liver oil (mainly the fermented kind found here) is especially supportive of healthy thyroid function, because the thyroid depends on plenty of natural vitamin A.
Butter. With its plentiful supply of vitamin A and iodine, butter remains a staple that nourishes the thyroid as well as the rest of the body.
Seafood. The richest source of natural iodine, seafood played an important role in traditional Asian cultures. These people ate soy (highly fermented, of course) on a daily basis, but also ate plenty of iodine-rich seafood to counteract soy’s anti-nutrients. Sea vegetables like kelp and dulce are especially nutritious, and so is genuine fish broth.
Foods That Damage the Thyroid:
Wheat and other grains like rye, barley, millet and oats. There has been some evidence of the link between gluten-sensitivity and poor thyroid function. If your thyroid isn’t in great shape, you’ll probably be better off restricting your intake of gluten. Millet contains goitrogens, and should be avoided if you’re concerned about your thyroid.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, turnips, brussels sprouts and kale. These veggies are known for their thyroid-suppressing properties because they contain goitrogens. Thorough cooking deactivates these to some extent. You don’t have to eliminate these vegetables from your diet, but it would be wise to reduce your intake if you’re concerned about thyroid health.
Soy in its many forms. Soy is a powerful food. Even a small serving of soy each day is enough to suppress thyroid function. So give your thyroid a break and ditch the soy. Soy. Yes, I am including this one twice because it’s one of the worst foods for your thyroid. Don’t underestimate how damaging this food is to your metabolism.
Coffee. Caffeine overstimulates the thyroid and interferes with the absorption of nutrients that could benefit thyroid health. It's best to limit your consumption of caffeine-laden beverages like coffee.
Remember that regardless of what you are or aren’t eating, not eating enough is a surefire way to interfere with natural thyroid function. Dieting and under-eating are top contributors to thyroid imbalances, so make sure you are eating plenty of real food for your activity level and lifestyle.
Some of the information above came from two of my favorite books: Eat Fat, Lose Fat and The Mood Cure. To read my reviews of these books, check here and here.
This post is part of Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade.
