If you have thyroid problems, the foods you eat can affect how you feel. Here is a list of the best and worst foods for thyroid problems.
Best Foods:
Apples
Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath … while you may be a heavy metal fan, your thyroid? Not so much. That’s because heavy metals, mercury, in particular, are chemically similar to iodine — an element the thyroid needs and readily absorbs. When metals like mercury take the place of iodine at binding sites, thyroid hormone production grinds to a halt. The good news is you can naturally detoxify with fruits that are rich in pectin — a gelatin-like fibre that sticks to toxic compounds in the blood and flushes them out of the body through the urine.
In fact, citrus pectin increased mercury excretion in the urine by 150 percent within 24 hours of supplementation, according to one study. As a weight loss bonus, research shows pectin can limit the amount of fat your cells can absorb. You’ll need about four pieces of whole fruit daily to reap the benefits. Grapefruits, oranges and peaches are all good sources, but since most pectin is found in the fibrous pith and peel, whole apples are one of the best.
Yogurt
Short of eating a few kelp salads, you probably don’t have to worry about getting too much iodine from any other foods. In particular, dairy products are full of this nutrient and livestock are given iodine supplements and the milking process involves iodine-based cleaners. Plain, low-fat yogurt, or Greek yogurt is a good source—it can make up about 50% of your daily intake of iodine.
Milk
By drinking 1 cup of low-fat milk, you’ll consume about one-third of your daily iodine needs. Another good idea: Opt for a glass that’s been fortified with vitamin D. One 2013 study found that people with an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) were more likely to be deficient in D than their healthier counterparts.
Chicken and beef
Zinc is another key nutrient for your thyroid—your body needs it to churn out TH. Take in too little zinc, and it can lead to hypothyroidism. But get this: If you develop hypothyroidism, you can also become deficient in zinc, since your thyroid hormones help absorb the mineral, explains Ilic. And when that happens, you may also experience side effects like severe alopecia, an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles and makes it fall out in clumps, according to one 2013 report.
You probably get enough zinc already (most people in the U.S. do), but if you have a poor diet or a GI disorder that interferes with your ability to absorb zinc, you might be at risk for a deficiency, says Ilic. Meats are a good source: One 3-ounce serving of beef chuck roast contains 7 milligrams; a 3-ounce beef patty contains 3 milligrams, and a 3-ounce serving of dark chicken meat contains 2.4 milligrams.
Fish
Since iodine is found in soils and seawater, fish is another good source of this nutrient. In fact, researchers have long known that people who live in remote, mountainous regions with no access to the sea are at risk for goitres.
One 3-ounce serving of baked cod contains about 99 micrograms of iodine — or 66% of your daily recommended intake. Canned tuna is another good option: a 3-ounce serving runs about 17 micrograms or 11% of your daily iodine quota. (Bonus: One 3-ounce serving of canned yellowfin tuna also contains 92 micrograms of selenium.)
Eggs
One large egg contains about 16% of the iodine and 20% of the selenium you need for the day, making them a thyroid superfood. If you haven’t been instructed otherwise by your doctor, eat the whole egg (try our foolproof trick for cooking eggs over easy)—much of that iodine and selenium is located in the yolk, says Ilic.
Worst Food
Processed foods
If you’re thinking about upping your intake of salty, processed foods just to fit more iodine into your diet, think again. More than 75% of our dietary sodium intake comes from restaurant, pre-packaged, and processed fare.
Fast food
Similar to processed foods, fast food chains also aren’t required to use iodized salt in their foods. And even when they do, it might not boost the iodine content all that much.
Also Read: Signs And Symptoms Of Thyroid
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