Best Foods for Hypothyroidism: Wild Rice Pilaf

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Wild rice pilaf is a great source of zinc, which is a critical mineral for thyroid function.

Serves 6
Zinc is a critical mineral for thyroid function, but vegetarians may be deficient in it. Wild rice is one of the best plant sources of zinc, containing three times that of brown rice in a 3/4-cup serving.

• ^_1/2 cup wild rice
• 2^_1/4 cups purified water
• ^_3/4 teaspoon iodized salt, or a 1-by-3-inch piece of kombu, snipped into pieces
• ^_1/2 cup brown rice
• ^_1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• ^_1/8 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper
• 1^_1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• ^_1/2 cup dried apricots (about 12), slivered
• ^_1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced gingerroot

1. Rinse the wild rice well. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a 2-quart pot. Pour in the still-wet rice, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the brown rice and add it to the pot (after the 10 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until done, about 40 more minutes.

3. While the rice cooks, gently sauté the cinnamon and cayenne in the vegetable oil in a small sauté pan set over low heat. When the rice is done, stir in the apricots and spices. Let the rice sit for 1 minute before stirring in the sunflower seeds and ginger. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Debbie Whittaker, the Herb Gourmet, lives in Denver, Colorado.

Click here for the original article, Best Foods for Hypothyroidism.