Fruits For Thyroid Patients

Fruits for thyroid patients? Whether you have hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, your diet will play a crucial role in how your body recovers and is able to function properly. Healthy fruits can boost your health, improve your digestion and help you enhance the appearance, texture and color of your skin. However, there are a few simple steps that you need to remember before you start eating fruits.

Know About the Best and Worst Foods for Thyroid Patients

Thyroid hormones play an integral role in regulating growth, repairing cells and controlling metabolism. The thyroid gland produces 3 types of hormones- Triiodothyronine or T3, Tetraiodothyronine or Thyroxine or T4 and Calcitonin. If the thyroid gland is overactive, it secretes hormones at an abnormal rate, causing hyperthyroidism. In contrast, the underactive thyroid condition, known as hypothyroidism, disables the gland to secrete an adequate amount of hormones.

Apart from medications and other interventions, foods potentially impact hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to know about the best foods for thyroid patients to restore functionality.

15 Best Foods to Include in a Thyroid Diet

The list contains foods to control thyroid and are rich in iodine, calcium, zinc, selenium and other vital micronutrients essential to combat thyroid disorders.

1. Yoghurt

Among dairy products, yoghurt supplies adequate nutrition and fulfils the iodine requirements of human bodies.

2. Beans and Legumes

They contain zinc and fibre and regulate the digestive system by improving bowel movements and preventing constipation. Chickpeas are one of the healthiest foods for thyroid.

3. Green Tea

Green tea is widely popular as a metabolism booster. It contains catechins, an antioxidant essential to burn excess fat, a common symptom of hypothyroidism.

4. Broccoli

Another effective food for thyroid treatment is broccoli loaded with calcium and Vitamin C. It boosts the metabolism by increasing the Thermic Effect of Food.

5. Avocado

Avocado is undoubtedly the best fruit for thyroid patients, courtesy of the antioxidants, fibre, good fats and other vital nutrients. It helps in restoring the balanced functioning of the thyroid gland.

6. Apple

Apples detoxify the body by flushing out metals like mercury that interrupts the thyroid gland from utilising the iodine.

7. Berries

Berries are full of antioxidants and protect thyroid patients from free radicals to curb the chances of hypothyroidism, weight gain and fatigue.

8. Dates

Another iodine-packed food that is good for thyroid patients are dates. They are necessary for producing 2 thyroid hormones- T3 and T4.

 Hypothyroidism-Friendly Foods to Add to Your Diet

If you have hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, you may experience fatigue, depression, constipation, and other more serious health concerns. Fortunately, eating certain foods can help boost the effectiveness of your thyroid — a little butterfly-shaped gland in your neck with a big role in how well your body works.

The thyroid produces hormones that regulate mood, metabolism, energy levels, body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Hypothyroidism occurs when this gland isn’t producing enough hormones to meet your body’s needs. Taking daily thyroid hormone replacement medication can help restore your thyroid hormone levels and take control of your symptoms.

In addition to taking your thyroid medication, you can help bolster thyroid function by eating a well-balanced diet that includes lots of produce and protein, among other healthy foods, says Gregory B. Dodell , MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, and bone disease at Mount Sinai in New York City. The next time you’re at the grocery store, look for these seven nutrient-rich foods.

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Omega-3s in Fish Help With Inflammation and Immunity

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as wild salmon, trout, tuna, or sardines make this food an excellent choice for lunch or dinner, says Virginia Turner, MS, RD, LDN, clinical nutrition manager with Morrison Healthcare based in Tennessee. Unmanaged hypothyroidism can increase the risk for heart disease as a result of higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. “Omega-3s are known to decrease inflammation, help with immunity, and lower the risk for heart disease,” Turner adds. Fish is also a good source of the nutrient selenium, which is most concentrated in the thyroid and helps decrease inflammation.

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Nuts Are High in Selenium, Which Helps the Thyroid Function

Another great source of selenium, nuts make a handy snack that you can take anywhere. They also go well in salads or stir-fries. Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts are all particularly high in selenium, which, according to a review published in 2017 in the International Journal of Endocrinology, helps the thyroid function properly. With Brazil nuts, you only need to eat one or two; with other nuts, a small handful is enough to get your daily nutrients — and be sure to keep an eye on portion size, as nuts are also very high fat. One note: Walnuts can interfere with thyroid hormone absorption, so avoid eating them at the same time you take your medication.

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Whole Grains Help Ease Constipation, a Symptom of Hypothyroidism

Constipation is a common symptom of hypothyroidism. Whole-grain foods such as cereal, bread, pasta, and rice are high in nutrients in addition to fiber, which can help with bowel regularity. However, fiber can interfere with synthetic thyroid hormones, cautions Turner. Some people with hypothyroidism choose to avoid whole-grains altogether, but if you do choose to eat them, “the recommendation is to take your thyroid medication several hours before or after eating foods rich in dietary fiber,” she says.

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Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Help Manage Weight Gain

An early symptom of hypothyroidism is weight gain. Low-calorie, high-density foods such as fresh produce are the cornerstone of every successful weight loss program. Include either fresh fruits or veggies at each meal, if possible. Specific foods such as blueberries, cherries, sweet potatoes, and green peppers are also rich in antioxidants, nutrients that are known to lower risk for heart disease.

However, people with hypothyroidism may want to limit their intake of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, to 5 ounces a day, as they can block the thyroid’s ability to absorb iodine, which is essential for normal thyroid function.

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Seaweed Contains Iodine, Which Is Essential for Thyroid Function

Seaweed has a high concentration of iodine, an essential nutrient for thyroid function. “Iodine is the precursor for the production of thyroid hormone,” Dr. Dodell explains. Seaweed, packaged as nori, wakame, and dulse, can be used in sushi, soups, and salads. Another plus: Seaweed offers nutritional benefits of fiber, calcium, and vitamins A, B, C, E, and K.

It is possible to have too much iodine, which can worsen thyroid disease, Dodell cautions. However, according to the American Thyroid Association the likelihood of this is greater if you’re taking supplements that contain iodine. Be sure to talk with your physician before increasing your iodine intake.

5 Must Have Fruits For Thyroid Patients

Inside: What are the thyroid healing foods? Which fruits are best for thyroid patients? Why certain fruits are better than others for thyroid patients? All these questions are answered in this post. 

Thyroid disorders are rampant these days. Often people have no clue what food is best for them.

When following a thyroid diet an important category to include is fruits. But not all fruits are created equal. Each fruit comes with its own benefits. 

For thyroid disorder, there are certain fruits that are more beneficial than others.

The underlying issues with thyroid disorders are inflammation, high levels of free radical production in our body, and also antibodies that are destroying the thyroid gland. 

Whether you have thyroid disorder like Hashimoto’s or Grave’s disease or you have hypothyroidism, these fruits will help in all these conditions. 

What we still have to remember that even though fruits are loaded with several beneficial nutrients but they still have sugar in them. I have heard several times from patients that this is natural sugar, but in reality, even natural sugar in excess quantity can be harmful. 

Especially in females with a thyroid disorder who are struggling with weight gain, this fruit sugar might the reason for weight gain or inability to lose weight. 

So eat fruits on a daily basis but only in quantity which is healthy and supports your thyroid gland.  

What are the Best Fruits for Thyroid Patients?

Blueberries 

Blueberries are a superfood for me, they are low glycemic index fruit and they support your thyroid health in several ways. Out of all the fruits, blueberries have a relatively low glycemic index, what that means is that they don’t raise sugar levels in your body when you consume them.

Blueberries also support your thyroid gland as it has other vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.

But their main benefit in thyroid health is to protect the thyroid gland from damage caused by antibodies.

In the thyroid gland, continuous damage is occurring because of antibodies that are formed against the thyroid gland. Blueberries have several antioxidant compounds especially flavonoids. In fact, out of all the fruits blueberries have the highest amount of these compounds.

These flavonoids not only reduce inflammation in your body but also help in reducing reactive oxygen species which are responsible for thyroid gland damage.

Thyroid disorder comes with a host of symptoms and one of the most common ones being brain fog.

Blueberries have shown to improve brain function and cognition and can be helpful to improve brain fog.

And the good part about blueberries is that they don’t lose their health benefits even if they are frozen, so make it easier for you to stock them for year-round use. 

Strawberries

Strawberries are loaded with several benefits for thyroid health. Again strawberries have relatively less natural sugar as compared to other fruits.

The health benefits of strawberry come from various vitamins and minerals it has to support health.

One of the most important vitamins strawberry has is vitamin C. One serving os strawberry has around 51 mg of vitamin C. So it is still a low amount but it is a good source.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and improves immune function. In thyroid disorders, inflammation is the key reason for having problems so by reducing inflammation it is helpful.

Also, strawberry have a significant amount of phytonutrients, these are the pigments that give strawberry its color.

Various phytonutrients in strawberry are anthocyanins, ellagic acid, ellagitannins.

All these compounds have significant health benefits but in thyroid health, they help with detox and getting rid of toxins stored in the body, and also help by reducing inflammation. 

Pomegranate

This is another super fruit that is surprisingly not so popular. There are numerous health benefits attached to this fruit. Especially for thyroid disorders, this can be very helpful.

The majority of the health benefits of these fruits come from polyphenol compounds.

These polyphenols are the ones that give this fruit its color.

These polyphenols help to remove free radicals from the body which in turn decreases inflammation and protects your thyroid gland.

In fact, pomegranate juice has three times more antioxidants than wine and green tea.

This also protects your brain and can be helpful for brain fog.

Also, it helps with pain, and another most common symptom of thyroid disorder is chronic pain and this can be helpful for them too.

Another issue with thyroid patient are high cholesterol. Most of the time thyroid disorder causes high levels of LDL cholesterol which can lead to future cardiac problems. Pomegranate juice has to show in studies to lower the levels of LDL the bad cholesterol. 

Foods for Thyroid Health—And 3 To Avoid

If you have thyroid issues, the foods you eat can affect how you feel.

Your thyroid needs iodine to work properly and produce enough thyroid hormone for your body’s needs, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you don’t get enough iodine, you risk hypothyroidism or a goiter (a thyroid gland that becomes enlarged to compensate for the thyroid hormone shortage, per Medline Plus). Most Americans have no problem getting enough iodine, since table salt is iodized—but if you’re on a low-sodium diet (as an increasing number of Americans are for their heart health) or follow a vegan diet (more on that later), then you may need to up your iodine intake from other sources.

Many types of seaweed are chock-full of iodine, but the amount can vary wildly, Mira Ilic, RD, a registered dietician at the Cleveland Clinic, told Health. According to the NIH, the iodine amounts in different seaweed species vary considerably. For example, commercially available seaweeds in whole or sheet form have iodine concentrations ranging from 16 mcg/g to 2,984 mcg/g (the recommended dietary allowance for a non-pregnant or non-lactating person is 150 mcg).

Since seaweed can be especially high in iodine, you shouldn’t start eating sushi every day of the week. Too much iodine can be just as harmful to your thyroid as too little by triggering (or worsening) hypothyroidism. To get seaweed’s big benefits without going overboard, Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, and Health‘s contributing nutrition editor, advised sticking to one fresh seaweed salad per week (in addition to sushi) and steering clear of seaweed teas and supplements.

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Good: Yogurt

Short of eating a few kelp salads, you probably don’t have to worry about getting too much iodine from any other foods. In particular, dairy products contain an average of 85 mcg of iodine per cup, says the NIH.

However, the amount of iodine in dairy products varies. This is partly because livestock are given iodine supplements, and the milking process involves iodine-based cleaners. According to the NIH, when analyzed, samples of nonfat milk were found to contain a range of 38 to 159 mcg per cup.

Plain, low-fat yogurt, or Greek yogurt is a good source —it can make up about 50% of your daily intake of iodine, according to the NIH.

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Good: Brazil Nuts

According to the NIH, Brazil nuts contain another nutrient that helps regulate thyroid hormones: selenium. Selenium may help stave off long-term thyroid damage in people with thyroid-related problems like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease, according to a 2013 review in the journal Clinical Endocrinology.

Just one kernel contains between 68–91 micrograms. Since the max upper limit of selenium is 400 micrograms a day, don’t go overboard. Too much selenium can cause “garlic breath,” hair loss, discolored nails, and even heart failure, said Ilic.

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Good: Milk

Milk and milk products are among the best sources of iodine, according to the NIH. However, plant-based beverages used as milk substitutes, such as soy and almond beverages, contain relatively small amounts of iodine.

Our consumption of dairy has been on the decline for decades. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) data reveal US per capita fluid cow’s milk consumption has been trending downward for over 70 years and continued to decrease at an average rate of 1% per year during the 2000s and at a faster average rate of 2.6% per year during the 2010s.

Drinking 1 cup of low-fat milk will meet about one-third of your daily iodine needs. Another good idea: Opt for a glass of milk fortified with vitamin D. One 2013 study published in the International Journal of Health Sciences found that people with an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) were more likely to be deficient in D than their healthier counterparts. (Another honorable dairy mention is cheese, especially cheddar: Just one slice is good for 12 micrograms of iodine and 7 IU of vitamin D.)

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Good: Chicken and Beef

Zinc is another key nutrient for your thyroid—your body needs it to churn out thyroid hormone. Taking in too little zinc can lead to hypothyroidism, according to a 2013 study published in the International Journal of Trichology. But get this: If you develop hypothyroidism, you can also become deficient in zinc since your thyroid hormones help absorb the mineral, explained Ilic. And when that happens, you may also experience side effects like severe alopecia, an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles and makes them fall out in clumps, according to one 2013 report in the International Journal of Trichology.

You probably get enough zinc already (most people in the US do), but if you have a poor diet or a GI disorder that interferes with your ability to absorb zinc, you might be at risk for a deficiency, said Ilic. Meats are a good source, according to the NIH: One 3-ounce serving of beef chuck roast contains 7 milligrams; a 3-ounce beef patty contains 3 milligrams; and a 3-ounce serving of dark chicken meat contains 2.4 milligrams.

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Good: Fish

Since iodine is found in soils and seawater, fish are another good source of this nutrient, says the American Thyroid Association. Researchers have long known that people who live in remote, mountainous regions without access to the sea are at risk for goiters, as authors of a 2014 study in BMC Public Health wrote.

“The most convincing evidence we have [for thyroid problems] is the absence of adequate nutrition,” said Salvatore Caruana, MD, the director of the division of head and neck surgery in the department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Columbia Doctors.

One 3-ounce serving of baked cod contains about 158 micrograms of iodine (enough to satisfy your daily needs if you are not pregnant or lactating), says the NIH. Even fish sticks will provide a healthy amount of iodine at 58 micrograms of iodine in a 3-ounce serving.

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Good: Shellfish

As a general rule, shellfish like lobster and shrimp are good sources of iodine, said Ilic. Just 3 ounces of shrimp (about 4 or 5 pieces) contains approximately 10% of your recommended intake, according to the NIH.

Bonus: shellfish can also be a good source of zinc, too. Three ounces of Alaskan crab and lobster contain 6.5 and 3.4 milligrams of zinc, respectively, says the NIH.

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Good: Eggs

One large egg contains about 16% of daily iodine—and 20% of daily selenium you need, according to the NIH—making eggs a thyroid superfood.

If you haven’t been instructed otherwise by your healthcare provider, eat the whole egg (try our foolproof trick for cooking eggs over easy)—much of that iodine and selenium is located in the yolk, said Ilic.

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Good: Berries

The best diet for your thyroid requires more than just iodine, selenium, and vitamin D, said Ilic. Perhaps unsurprisingly, foods high in antioxidants (substances found in certain foods that help fight cell damage) are also good for your thyroid. According to a 2022 study in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, antioxidants can help to manage thyroid dysfunction.

Berries of all kinds are rich in antioxidants, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, with the “best” berry being black raspberries, a raspberry cousin with a deeper color. Black raspberries provide very high antioxidant levels, fiber, and relatively little natural sugar.