Goitrogens and Hypothyroid
MeMyCatsandI
Posts: 704 Member
Hi everyone. I've just joined the group today, so I apologize if this info is old news to any/all of you.
I've been hypothyroid for years, so how is it that only YESTERDAY I found out that many of my favorite foods are probably worsening my thyroid function? Many of you probably already know this, but it kind of blew my mind, made me sad, and made me mad all at the same time. First, for those that might not know what I'm talking about, goitrogens are foods that "...in addition to promoting goiter formation, can act like antithyroid drugs, slowing down the thyroid, and ultimately causing hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid."
Goitrogens include the following foods:
•Bok choy
•Broccoli
•Broccolini
•Brussels sprouts
•Cabbage
•Cauliflower
•Chinese Broccoli
•Collards
•Daikon
•Kale
•Kohlrabi
•Millet
•Mustard
•Peaches
•Peanuts
•Pine nuts
•Radishes
•Red Radish
•Rutabaga
•Spinach
•Strawberries
•Turnips
•Watercress
These foods are supposedly less problematic when steamed or cooked. Unfortunately, I eat about 90% of my veggies raw because that is the way I prefer them. As it turns out, I eat an INSANE amount of the foods above, including about 4 cups of cabbage, 2 cups of broccoli, and 8-10 radishes DAILY! I also like many of the other foods listed and eat them on a regular basis. Now I'm so sad because I feel like I'm going to have to cut down on my favorite foods that I've been using to fill my belly as I try to cut my calories. I'm also a little mad because none of my doctors has ever mentioned this to me before.
I also just found out that mineral supplements (such as iodine, copper, zinc, and selenium) might help my thyroid. I've never before heard anything about mineral supplements in relation to my thyroid. I ordered some yesterday and I hope they will help me feel better shortly. I'm also convinced I'll have to have the Sparkletts guy start delivering water to my house because supposedly chlorine and fluoride negatively affect the throid too. The water in my area contains both and I drink a lot of tap water.
Have any of you had success by reducing the goitrogenic foods in your diet and/or by taking a mineral supplement? By success, I guess I mean did it help you feel better and/or did it help your weight loss?
My source for the goitrogen info above was:
http://thyroid.about.com/od/symptomsrisks/a/All-About-Goitrogens-thyroid.htm
However, I found the same info on other websites.
I found out that lossnow.com is the 2nd leading weightloss site after WW. Yesterday was the first time I've ever heard of it. Some of the info above can be found on that site at: http://www.nowloss.com/Hypothyroidism.htm
Sorry this is so long!
I've been hypothyroid for years, so how is it that only YESTERDAY I found out that many of my favorite foods are probably worsening my thyroid function? Many of you probably already know this, but it kind of blew my mind, made me sad, and made me mad all at the same time. First, for those that might not know what I'm talking about, goitrogens are foods that "...in addition to promoting goiter formation, can act like antithyroid drugs, slowing down the thyroid, and ultimately causing hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid."
Goitrogens include the following foods:
•Bok choy
•Broccoli
•Broccolini
•Brussels sprouts
•Cabbage
•Cauliflower
•Chinese Broccoli
•Collards
•Daikon
•Kale
•Kohlrabi
•Millet
•Mustard
•Peaches
•Peanuts
•Pine nuts
•Radishes
•Red Radish
•Rutabaga
•Spinach
•Strawberries
•Turnips
•Watercress
These foods are supposedly less problematic when steamed or cooked. Unfortunately, I eat about 90% of my veggies raw because that is the way I prefer them. As it turns out, I eat an INSANE amount of the foods above, including about 4 cups of cabbage, 2 cups of broccoli, and 8-10 radishes DAILY! I also like many of the other foods listed and eat them on a regular basis. Now I'm so sad because I feel like I'm going to have to cut down on my favorite foods that I've been using to fill my belly as I try to cut my calories. I'm also a little mad because none of my doctors has ever mentioned this to me before.
I also just found out that mineral supplements (such as iodine, copper, zinc, and selenium) might help my thyroid. I've never before heard anything about mineral supplements in relation to my thyroid. I ordered some yesterday and I hope they will help me feel better shortly. I'm also convinced I'll have to have the Sparkletts guy start delivering water to my house because supposedly chlorine and fluoride negatively affect the throid too. The water in my area contains both and I drink a lot of tap water.
Have any of you had success by reducing the goitrogenic foods in your diet and/or by taking a mineral supplement? By success, I guess I mean did it help you feel better and/or did it help your weight loss?
My source for the goitrogen info above was:
http://thyroid.about.com/od/symptomsrisks/a/All-About-Goitrogens-thyroid.htm
However, I found the same info on other websites.
I found out that lossnow.com is the 2nd leading weightloss site after WW. Yesterday was the first time I've ever heard of it. Some of the info above can be found on that site at: http://www.nowloss.com/Hypothyroidism.htm
Sorry this is so long!
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Replies
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My first post was pretty long and I'm hoping it was just mistaken as an 'information only' post. So I've quoted just my actual questions above in hopes for some answers/discussion.Have any of you had success by reducing the goitrogenic foods in your diet and/or by taking a mineral supplement? By success, I guess I mean did it help you feel better and/or did it help your weight loss?
Anybody?0 -
Like yourself, I just recently discovered the list was so long. I knew about broccoli and cauliflower however didn't know about raw spinach, which I was eating 2 cups of daily in a Nutri-Bullett!!!!! Cook what you can but worry more about soy as it's far more destructive then the fruits and vegetables (this was confirmed by my Physician)
Vitamin and mineral supplements I take are:
Vitamin D
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B100 Complex
Vitamin B12
Vitamin E
Zinc
Play around with it....see what works for you.
I have a busy life and work at a job where we seldom sit down so my weight hasn't gotten too high but I am not the 135lbs I was before Hypothyroidism (I'm 5'9"). I hope to get back down to 145lbs and once there may try for 140lbs. I have been able to loose weight and you need to play around with the calories too....see what works for your body. I work out to Insanity and also have 3 dogs I power walk daily for 45 minutes.
Good luck and try to focus on what works for you
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Thank you. I'm glad to hear that veggies aren't as bad as soy, which I very rarely eat anyway (aside from some edamame on occasion). I already take some vitamins, including most of the ones you mentioned below. I'm going to start taking the mineral supplements and see if they help my energy level and/or weight loss.0
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What I'd like to know is how goitrogens influence people who have had their thyroids removed, like myself? Do I avoid them anyway or does it not matter since my thyroid isn't goiterous or underactive, it's simply non-existant.0
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What I'd like to know is how goitrogens influence people who have had their thyroids removed, like myself? Do I avoid them anyway or does it not matter since my thyroid isn't goiterous or underactive, it's simply non-existant.
Goitrogenic foods interrupt thyroid function by blocking the body's ability to create thyroid hormones with iodine. So as someone without a thyroid, who gets their thyroid hormones solely from meds, most of these foods wouldn't be an issue.
Soy is a bit different and can also interfere with the body's ability to convert T4 into T3, so should still be avoided (particularly if you are on a T4-only med like synthroid or levothyroxine).0 -
What I'd like to know is how goitrogens influence people who have had their thyroids removed, like myself? Do I avoid them anyway or does it not matter since my thyroid isn't goiterous or underactive, it's simply non-existant.
Goitrogenic foods interrupt thyroid function by blocking the body's ability to create thyroid hormones with iodine. So as someone without a thyroid, who gets their thyroid hormones solely from meds, most of these foods wouldn't be an issue.
Soy is a bit different and can also interfere with the body's ability to convert T4 into T3, so should still be avoided (particularly if you are on a T4-only med like synthroid or levothyroxine).
Thank you!0 -
I am hypo
I take B Complex
1 kelp pill
D3
Magnesium Calcium Zinc combo
3-4 Brazil nuts a day
Multi Vitamin
My Multi D3 and B are of the gummy variety.
Since I have been doing this for 3 months I have been feeling better.
I Started the D3 last year since taking that muscle pain has significantly decreased. Moodiness has left except for regular PMS time.
I too found out about goitergens 2 months ago- haven't noticed much change from avoiding them but I didn't eat large quantities like you. Now I occasionly have some steamed or cooked if I have taken my thyroid med on an empty stomach like I was suppose to. I miss raw spinach ;-( I do stay away from soy - wasn't knowingly eating alot of that either but now I stay away from it like the plague.
Best of luck to you0 -
i also love the same foods. i roast tons of them every week...often 4 cups at a time just for myself every day. my thyroid function has actually increased over the past 6 months while eating this way, so it's possible to still eat the foods you love and not lower your thyroid hormone.
i think the key is cooking them. if you love them raw, have you tried roasting?0 -
Thanks ladies. I'm still waiting for my mineral supplement pills to arrive so I can see if they make help me at all.
Re: roasting veggies: I do roast some veggies and I like them that way too. But I really like the crunch of cabbage and other raw veggies. I hate lettuce so my salads are always cabbage, radishes, tomatoes, brocolli, and whatever deliciousness I can round up. I like to eat a huge salad like that every day, though now I'm having to rethink that.
It's just such a bummer for me.
I guess if I mix it up and eat some raw and some roasted, boiled, steamed, etc. it might even out in the end. 0
