Diet whilst Hypothyroid - goitrogens: Hi, me... - Thyroid UK

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Diet whilst Hypothyroid - goitrogens

FindingOut profile image
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Hi, me again!

Recently I am trying to get the best diet for me so that I feel my best. I take 50mcg a day Levo, have been gluten free for nearly a year (and feel much better for it) and eat fish, no meat and no milk products.

I eat a ton of veg, and now have come across the word goitrogens.

Does anyone have any realistic info on portions to avoid goitrogens having any negative effect?

I want to eat the best I can so I have the energy to run around after my young kids (and maybe even lose some weight if I’m lucky) at points I am exhausted so I really owe it to them and me to be the best physically I can be.

However, everything I read seems to say no to dark veg which is a big part of my diet and I wouldn’t know what to replace them with.

Any good healthy diet blogs for hypo peeps maybe? Vegan or pescatarian?

Thanks if you got this far!

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FindingOut
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MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray

With the exception of soy which really should be a no-no, there's a lot of erroneous misinformation and downright bunkum talked about "goitrogens". Unless you were drinking green raw smoothies for every meal every day, rather than eating a balanced and nutritious assortment of steamed/lightly boiled vegetables, you aren't going to have a problem. The idea of goitrogens arose in the 1950's, and scientists have thankfully developed & modified their thinking since then. Additionally, deiodinase enzymes, central to the production of thyroid hormones, were discovered. So scientists have modified their theory about cruciferous vegetables and the focus now, is on people having the nutrients they need for their individual, optimal thyroid function, rather than blanket bans on good food sources, for everyone. According to the George Mateljan Foundation:

“Over the past 50 years … researchers have determined that there are no such ‘negative’ substances in food, but only health-supportive nutrients that are not a good match for certain individuals because of their unique health history and health status. Five decades of research have also determined that certain nutrients — like tyrosine, iodine, and selenium — play a unique role in thyroid health.”

Tginger profile image
Tginger

It was a shock to me when I read an article saying you have to avoid any beans, any cruciferous veg, any mushroom, even spinach was on the black list! However, some sources say these act as goitrogens only if you eat them raw and in large amounts.

These vegetables are perfectly OK cooked but not eaten raw.

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