Best Foods for Hypothyroidism

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Tasty, nutrient-rich ingredients like these are some of the best foods for hypothyroidism to help maximize thyroid function.

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Recipes:

• Butternut Squash Purée
• Poached Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Parsley Sauce 
• Mixed Greens with Sesame Tahini Dressing
• Wild Rice Pilaf 

Skip the raw peanuts, pass on the coleslaw and hold the broccoli sprouts. After a lifetime of eating all I wanted of these and many otherwise-healthy foods, it came as a shock that they may have set me up to develop the same hypothyroid condition experienced by other members of my family.

Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) is believed to be one of the most underdiagnosed health conditions in the United States. Many of its symptoms—lethargy, depression and weight gain—can be easily attributed to other factors, making hypothyroidism difficult to diagnose. Some reports estimate that around 15 percent of the population suffers from the condition; other reports estimate more than twice that. Risk increases with age, particularly in menopausal women. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), the opposite of hypothyroidism, is considerably less common and is characterized by extreme nervousness and restlessness.

A diet for hypothyroidism

Goitrogens are naturally occurring substances in certain foods that interfere with the production of thyroid hormones (the hormones that people with hypothyroidism lack). They include some of the most commonly consumed foods of the health-conscious community: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, radishes, soybeans, peanuts, pine nuts, peaches and millet. The good news is that many health professionals believe that cooking may inactivate goitrogens.

Although these foods provide many benefits for healthy people, goitrogenic potential should be considered by at-risk groups: people who have a family history of hypothyroidism, those who already have symptoms, and women approaching menopause.

Some goitrogens, such as soy isoflavones, pose a particular quandary for menopausal women—they can reduce certain menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, but are thought to aggravate hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism could explain menopausal symptoms such as depression, weight gain, and lethargy. People with deficient thyroid function often feel cold, which might help differentiate the two conditions. It is unknown whether other phytoestrogenic foods are thought to affect thyroid functioning. While avoiding goitrogens may mitigate symptoms of hypothyroidism, many other dietary and nondietary factors are also involved.

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