Tea and coffee

[Yulia2010]

Hi again everyone,

I would like to know your opinion on tea and coffee. Do you drink them?

In one of the thyroid books I read they should be avoided by people with thyroid problems as they are contaminated with gluten (?). Do you drink tea and coffee? If not, what alternative do you use? Any tips greatly appreciated.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I don't have Hashi's so don't avoid gluten, but it never occurred to me that tea or coffee might contain it.

Tea contains flouride and that should be avoided by us Hypos. I don't particularly like tea anyway.

I drink decaffeinated coffee, usually one mug daily, very occasionally two.

I drink a fair amount of water, filtered tap water or bottled spring water.

[Yulia2010 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks, SeasideSusie. That's helpful.

[Clutter]

Yulia2010,

If you believe everything written by thyroid bloggers you'll end up only drinking water and eating a horribly restricted diet. Avoid any form of unfermented soy/soya, gluten if you have Hashimoto's, and anything to which you are allergic. Otherwise enjoy tea and coffee and eat whatever you like.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I drink coffee.

I drink tea.

I suspect that the "contaminated by gluten" argument is rather extreme. Of course, some tea and some coffee could be processed in a factory that also handles gluten-containing products. Or the tea picker might have eaten a gluten product for lunch.

Do you wash out the supermarket basket or trolley in case someone carried something that contains gluten in them?

At the same time, I certainly don't dismiss the possibility of there being sufficient gluten contamination in almost anything to affect the most sensitive people. Have you noticed some shops now display a warning about non-pre-packaged nuts? (Lidl do.)