Underactive Thyroid and foods

[Cookee16]

Hi Everyone,

i have Underactive Thyroid and have done since i was 15 yrs old. I have always struggled with my weight and fatigue. lately that has improved with a few changes I have done in life. however I am unclear on foods that should be avoided. I have read many things online but find different answers. Just wondering if anyone could suggest foods to avoid and how to manage weight

I am new on here so please feel free to advise me on anything useful.

Thanks

Cookee

[greygoose]

Foods to avoid like the plague with any sort of hypothyroidism:

1. Soy. All forms of soy: soy protein, soy oil, soy flour, etc.

And, that's it, really. So, why soy? Because soy impedes the uptake of thyroid hormones by the cells, meaning that you can have good levels of T3 in the blood, but you will still be hypo because it's not getting into the cells.

Foods to avoid if they don't agree with you:

1. Gluten. Hashi's people are often gluten sensitive, even if they don't actually have Coeliac Disease. Worth trialing a gluten-free diet for a few months to see if it makes you feel better - but it has to be 100% gluten-free. If it doesn't make you feel any better, try eating gluten again and see if it makes you feel worse. If you don't feel any different, carry on eating it.

2. Lactose/dairy. Most people know when they're lactose intolerent, anyway. It's not exclusively a Hashi's/hypo thing. But, just out of curiosity, you could trial a dairy-free diet, see if it helps. NB: eggs are NOT dairy.

3. Processed foods are a good thing to cut out because they tend to contain three things that are bad for everybody - not just Hashi's/hypo - artificial sweeterners, soy derivitives and processed seed oils. All three best avoided by the population at large!

4. Anything else that disagrees with you. Common sense, really.

The Goitrogen Myth:

Someone told you spinach and chickpeas are bad. Someone else might tell you that broccoli and Brussels sprouts are bad. Or it might be cabbage and walnuts, or kale and strawberries... All these fruit and veg - and a hell of a lot more besides - fall into the group called Goitrogens.

So, what are goitrogens? They are fruit and veg that contain a certain substance that has an unwanted effect on the thyroid. What this substance does is impede the uptake of iodine by the thyroid, meaning that the thyroid can make less hormone. In order to get more iodine, the thyroid enlarges into what we call a goitre - hence the name goitrogen.

However, what no-one ever tells you is that you would have to eat one

hell of a lot of these things for them to have any effect - like cabbage soup three times a day for years and years and years. Normal consumption of these foods, normal portions, won't have any effect unless you happen to be sensitive to them for some other reason.

Also, goitrogens are highly unlikely to affect anyone taking thyroid hormone replacement, because once you're taking that, your thyroid stops making hormone, so doesn't need the iodine anymore.

So, cutting out a list of about 30 or so foods on that basis is a pretty illogical thing to do, and really isn't a good idea. And is pointless, anyway. So, enjoy what you enjoy, and don't listen to people who don't know what they're talking about!

[Cookee16 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you Greygoose for your reply. it is very helpful. funny enough I have recently gone vegan, cutting gluten also. I want to slowly introduce each food group later to see what makes me feel worse. I barely have carbs as a result I have lost 12kg.

thank you so much again

[greygoose in reply to Cookee16]

I barely have carbs as a result I have lost 12kg.

Well, be careful. That could backfire on you. You need carbs to convert.

[Painwork in reply to greygoose]

I have been on 5:2 diet since January it seemed to suit me as I have lost 8 pounds slow but consistent. Now I have stalled and was wondering if I am eating foods that are affecting thyroid function and metabolism. Confusing advice on the web so wondered if anyone had similar experience and/or tips?

[greygoose in reply to Painwork]

I don't know of any such foods - unless you're eating soy? That would block the uptake of thyroid hormones by the cells and cause you to become more hypo. But, I don't know of anything else. Did you have something specific in mind?

[Painwork in reply to greygoose]

I have switched to lacto free milk and spread and wondered if that was a good move and what about Quorn?

[greygoose in reply to Painwork]

If you are lactose intolerant then, yes, switching to lacto free milk is a good idea.

Personally, I wouldn't touch quorn with a bargepole. There are so many things to eat without resorting to something born in a vat. Are you vegetarian or vegan?