Major Foods to Avoid with Hypothyroidism

Thankfully, there are not a lot of foods to avoid with hypothyroidism. Look at the list below and try to stay away from these foods to keep your thyroid in good shape!

What is Hypothyroidism?

The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that is located at the base of your throat. It is responsible for producing thyroid hormones. These hormones are mainly responsible for metabolic rate and protein synthesis in the body.

Hypothyroidism is a state of insufficient thyroid hormone production, specifically triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). It affects more women than men and commonly affects people over 60.

Although some people may not see symptoms especially in the early stages, hypothyroidism can lead to obesity, heart disease, joint pain and infertility.

List of Foods to Avoid with Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism can be tricky to manage when it comes to your diet. This is because some nutrients affect the function of the thyroid gland.

Also, some foods can even block your body from absorbing replacement hormones that you are using as part of treatment plan.

Let us see the list of foods to avoid with hypothyroidism below:

1. Foods with Goitrogen

Goitrogens are substances that inhibit the production of thyroid hormones. They get their name from the term, ‘goiter,’ which refers to an enlarged thyroid gland, a symptom of hypothyroidism.

If you have hypothyroidism, or what is known as underactive thyroid, you would definitely want to limit consumption of foods containing goitrogens.

Some of the foods containing goitrogens include:

• Soy products/foods containing soy – soy milk, tempeh, tofu, edamame beans, meat alternatives, soy sauce, miso, etc
• Cruciferous vegetables – cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, kale, spinach, etc
• Some fruits such as pears, peaches and strawberries
• Starchy vegetables – cassava, sweet potatoes, etc
• Beverages – coffee, green tea and alcohol

Now you can consume the above foods in moderation or small amounts. Completely cutting these foods out can make you miss out on their high fiber & micronutrient content as well as disease-preventative compounds. Only when consumed in large amounts, they may irritate the thyroid.

However, some goitrogen foods such as the ones below should be completely avoided:

• All varieties of uncooked millets
• Processed food such as those containing refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial color & flavour
• Selenium and iodine supplements (unless prescribed by your doctor)

2. Foods with Gluten

Gluten is a type of protein found in certain grains like wheat, rye and barley. Foods containing gluten are among the foods to avoid with hypothyroidism.

This is because some people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the main cause of hypothyroidism also have celiac disease, which means they can’t eat gluten. If they do, the body mistakenly attacks it causing damage to the surrounding stomach walls and gut area.

Removing gluten from the diet can help manage and improve hypothyroidism symptoms.

• Foods with gluten include: beer, cereals and anything made of wheat/rye/barley such as bread, pasta, tacos

Note the above list of foods to avoid with hypothyroidism, eat the right nutrients and take medications to improve thyroid functions!