Kale and Hypothyroidism: I have recently started... - Thyroid UK

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Kale and Hypothyroidism

Tdennehy profile image
6 Replies

I have recently started making smoothies with the following , should I continue if I have Hypothyroidism or should I swap kale for Spinach?

Kale, Cabbage, Strawberries, blueberries , banana, pineapple and water, i have read kale is not good with this condition.

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Tdennehy profile image
Tdennehy
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6 Replies
puncturedbicycle profile image
puncturedbicycle

I believe kale, cabbage and spinach are all goitrogens, but imo nothing to worry about unless you're having gallons of it.

Bob00752 profile image
Bob00752

Dietary opinion is that all goiterogons can affect thyroid function ... a little bit ... however many are packed with things that your body needs. Strawberries are rich in selenium which helps you convert T4 into T3 (levothyroxine tablets, if prescribed, give you the T4 and you need to convert it to T3 when you need to use it). I don't cut out foods that I like without strong scientific evidence based reasons! This US article is on the same lines though I'd be careful of any commercial implications in what it promotes!

autoimmunewellness.com/goit...

Bob

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Bob00752

Goitrogens impede the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. But, not all goitrogens affect everybody. If you feel bad after eating something, you stop eating it, that's only common sense. Otherwise, carry on eating it, whether it's a goitrogen or not.

However, if you have had your gland removed, or killed by Hashi's, or you are on a complete replacement dose of thyroid hormones, goitrogens aren't going to affect you at all, because you don't rely on your thyroid for any of your hormone.

The only exception to this, is unfermented soy, which also acts at a cellular level, impeding the uptake of hormone by the cell, and therefore affecting your thyroid hormone replacement.

Tdennehy , if drinking your smoothied kale has no adverse effects on you, carry on. I think it contains more available nutrients than spinach - which is also a goitrogen, by the way. As are cabbage and strawberries. In fact, it's more like a goitrogen smoothie! lol But, if you don't feel bad just after drinking it, then carry on.

Bob00752 profile image
Bob00752 in reply to greygoose

Thanks greygoose. I've avoid soy priducts such as soy milk since I attended my first thyroid group meeting and was warned. Having switched to soy milk about a year before being diagnosed as low thyroid, I was guilty of consuming for the health benefits without reading the potential problems I might cause myself. I was probably low throid for years before as my mum said I was always 1 degree (fahrenheit) under as a child.... not proof but maybe a clue. The fremented soy being OK was news to me though!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Bob00752

It's ok in small quantities.

But soy milk never had any health benefits, that's just good publicity from the people that grow and market it. It's bad for just about everybody.

Tdennehy profile image
Tdennehy

Thank you all very much x

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