Thyroid Foods answers:

Coconut and coconut butter, or more commonly known as coconut oil, has been used as a food and medicine since the dawn of history. Unlike saturated animal fats found in meats and dairy products, coconut butter is a raw saturated fat containing fatty acids which the body can metabolize efficiently and convert to energy quickly. Research also shows it helps to regulate thyroid function.

Kelp is a stellar, nutrient-dense sea vegetable. It is also known as Laminaria and contains a natural substance that enhances flavor and tenderizes. Kelp works as a blood purifier, and promotes adrenal, pituitary and thyroid health. Its natural iodine may help normalize thyroid-related disorders, like overweight, and lymph system congestion.

Turkey is one of the leanest protein foods and is low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. Turkey also contains selenium which has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone.

Thyroid patients should avoid the consumption of goitrogens, substances that suppress the function of the thyroid gland, and which can also cause an enlargement of the thyroid. Goitrogens are in foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mustard, kale, turnips, and canola oil. Soy and peanuts also include goitrogens and should be avoided.

Both copper and iron are so important for thyroid function, so thyroid patients should take time to make sure they’re getting enough in their diets. Foods such as organ meats, oysters, clams, crabs, cashews, sunflower seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole-grain products, and cocoa products are all rich in copper. Foods like leafy green vegetables, beans, shellfish, red meat, and poultry are high in iron. Complement your iron intake with adequate amounts of vitamin C from foods such as citrus fruits, red berries, tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers to help maximize your body’s iron absorption efficiency.

Thyroid Foods answers:

Foods you should avoid are called goitrogenic foods, or goitrogens. You should avoid them because they have a negative impact on thyroid function and are so named because they may encourage the formation or propagation of goiter (swelling of the thyroid and thus the neck). Goiter makes hypothyroidism more difficult to manage and is indicative of autoimmune swelling related to the body’s production of antibodies against the thyroid.

Goitrogenic foods include soybean-related foods (including soy milk and tofu), estrogen-containing birth control pills (not really a food, but still), and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and turnips. Peaches, peanuts, and spinach are also suspected of being goitrogens.

It’s not going to kill you to eat these foods, but they will probably have a negative effect on your thyroid function, especially if you consume large amounts of them.

Also, just wanted to add that kale itself is a goitrogen, so it will HURT, not help, your thyroid function. There is no homeopathic non-animal non-synthetic remedy for hypothyroidism, so take your meds. Iodine supplementation might help but could also potentially be harmful if you are allergic to iodine. The iodide contained in ordinary table salt should be plenty to satisfy your body’s need for iodine. Iodine deficiency is extremely rare in the modernized world, largely because of the cheap, abundant iodized table salt we all use way too much.

Good luck!

Thyroid Foods answers:

Calcium and Soy should be avoided within several hours of taking your medication.

Iron deficiency has been reported to impair the body’s ability to make its own thyroid hormones