7 Foods to Avoid if You Have Low Thyroid Function

7 Foods to Avoid if You Have Low Thyroid Function

There are foods that you should avoid if you have low thyroid function because they can hinder your ability to overcome the condition. You see, there are certain foods that can affect thyroid function.

If you know what you can and cannot eat, you will have a much easier time fighting your hypothyroidism. So in today's article we will look at foods to avoid if you have low thyroid function.

Greasy food

Recent research suggests that the fat may affect your thyroid's ability to produce thyroid hormone. If you have low thyroid function, your ability to produce thyroid hormone is already reduced, so fatty foods make the problem worse.

Health professionals suggest that you eliminate all burned foods from your diet and eat less fat. Fats come from many sources such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise and fatty cuts of meat.

gluten

If you have hyperthyroidism, you should try reducing your gluten intake. Gluten is a protein found in foods made from grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Gluten can irritate your small intestine and prevent it from absorbing vital thyroid hormone, which is necessary for proper function.

Cruciferous vegetables

What are cruciferous vegetables, I hear you ask? Good cruciferous vegetables are a vegetable from the Brassicaceae family and are widely cultivated. Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables are cruciferous vegetables.

Digesting cruciferous vegetables can block the ability of the thyroid glands to absorb iodine. Your thyroid needs to absorb iodine to function properly. If you eat some of these vegetables, cooking them first reduces the effect they have on your thyroid.

Sugary food

If you have hypothyroidism, your metabolism will most likely slow down, and this is why many people with low thyroid function gain weight. To avoid weight gain, it is best to avoid sugary foods as these are “empty calories,” meaning they contain no nutrients. If possible, it's best to cut sugar out of your diet completely.

soy

It is known that estrogen can inhibit your body's use of thyroid hormone. The reason for this is that soy is packed with plant phytoestrogen, which many believe increases a person's risk of low thyroid function. If you suffer from hypothyroidism, you should keep your soy intake to a minimum.

Processed foods

Processed foods tend to be high in sodium. If you have hypothyroidism, you should avoid sodium. If you have an underactive thyroid, you are at higher risk of high blood pressure.

Sodium intake increases the risk of high blood pressure. So when grocery shopping, remember to read food labels as they will inform you about the sodium content in the food. A good guide is to keep your sodium intake under 1,500 milligrams per day.

Too much fiber

Yes, fiber is good for you, but too much fiber can affect your absorption of thyroid hormone. Dietary guidelines suggest that the average adult eats 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day from sources such as vegetables, beans, legumes and fruits.

Eating healthy improves your hypothyroidism

If you look at the foods to avoid if you have low thyroid function, you will find that a healthy diet will help improve your hypothyroidism. The most common symptom of hypothyroidism is weight gain.

Inspired by Holly Franklin