9 Foods That Can Affect Your Thyroid Gland Positively Or Negatively

[LoShiNi]

Your thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate many important functions in your body, including metabolism, heartbeat, and temperature. What you eat and how much you eat directly affects your thyroid; a balanced diet is especially important for you if you’ve been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Some foods can improve or exacerbate your condition, and some can even interfere with your thyroid medication. At first, let’s talk about those things that you can do to make your thyroid function better:

Below is the list of foods that affect the thyroid gland, both in healthy people and in people with a thyroid condition:

1. Soy products

Soy and soy products, such as soy milk, powder, shakes, tofu, and tempeh, are OK for healthy individuals if they don’t eat too much. But people with thyroid problem should be careful with soy, especially if their thyroid is underactive. For people who suffer from hyperthyroidism, soy may be beneficial, but they should consult dieticians about soy products that are best for them.


2. Coffee

Coffee influences the effectiveness of your thyroid medications if consumed at around the same time, so it’s best to drink it at least one hour after taking your thyroid meds.


3. Calcium and iron

Calcium and iron can also affect the absorption of thyroid medications. If you want to take your iron or calcium supplement, or eat foods fortified with these minerals, do so at least 3–4 hours after you’ve taken thyroid meds.


4. Gluten

If you happen to have celiac disease or gluten intolerance along with a thyroid problem, you should stick to gluten-free diet. If you don’t have an adverse reaction, wheat and other grains that contain gluten are fine for you, especially whole grains.


5. Milk and dairy products

Milk and dairy products like cheese and yogurt are good sources of iodine. Iodine is important for your thyroid to function properly – consuming too much or too little of this mineral can hurt your thyroid.


6. Cold-water fish

Fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna, herring, lake trout, flounder, halibut, and sardines is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient vital for many of your body’s functions. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for your brain, heart, and thyroid.


7. Meats

Meats, such as chicken and beef, are rich in zinc. Zinc deficiency can cause problems with your thyroid, whether you are healthy or have a thyroid condition.


8. Fruits and berries

Fruits (e.g. citrus fruits, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, mango, plums, and red grapes) and berries (e.g. cherries, wild strawberries, blackberries, goji berries, and cranberries) are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. They all would make a nice addition to your diet.


9. Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower, kale, broccoli, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts might interfere with your thyroid function if you have a condition, but that doesn’t mean you should exclude them from your diet altogether. Ask your doctor what amounts of these vegetables are safe for you. Tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers are a good choice. Seaweed can be beneficial for your thyroid, but should be consumed in moderation; different kinds of seaweed have different amount of iodine, and some of them have too much.