The thyroid gland needs enough iodine to function properly and produce enough thyroid hormones to meet your body's needs. If you don't consume enough iodine, you can develop problems like hypothyroidism or goiter.
Pingkang prefers to select 11 kinds of foods that are beneficial to thyroid health and 3 kinds of foods that need lightning protection, it is recommended to like and collect!
Good: Yogurt
Plain, low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt can make up about 50% of your daily iodine intake.
Good: Brazil nuts
Brazil nuts contain another nutrient that helps regulate thyroid hormones: selenium. According to a 2013 review in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, selenium may help avoid long-term thyroid damage in patients with thyroid-related problems such as Hashimoto's disease and Graves' disease. Just one nut contains 68-91 micrograms of selenium. Since the maximum intake of selenium is capped at 400 mcg per day, do not overdo it, too much selenium can lead to a "garlic smell," hair loss, nail discoloration, and even heart failure.
Good: milk
Milk and dairy products are one of the best sources of iodine. Other plant-based drinks used as milk substitutes, such as soy and almond drinks, contain relatively small amounts of iodine. Our dairy consumption has been declining for decades, but in reality, drinking 1 glass of low-fat milk can meet a third of your daily iodine needs.
Pingkang Tip: Choose milk rich in vitamin D.
A 2013 study published in the International Journal of Health Sciences found that people with an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) are more likely to be deficient in D than healthy people.
Good: Chicken and beef
Zinc is another important nutrient for the thyroid gland — your body needs it to secrete thyroid hormones.
According to a 2013 study published in the International Journal of Pilology, too little zinc intake can lead to hypothyroidism. But be warned: if you develop hypothyroidism, you may also be deficient in zinc because your thyroid hormones help absorb minerals, so you may also experience side effects such as severe hair loss, an autoimmune disease that attacks hair follicles and causes them to fall off in lumps. Meat is a good source of zinc supplementation.
Good: fish
Iodine is found in soil and seawater, and fish is another good source of this nutrient. People living in remote mountainous areas far from the sea are at risk of goiter.
Good: shellfish
In general, shellfish such as lobster and shrimp are good sources of iodine. 4 or 5 shrimp contains about 10% of the recommended intake.
Shellfish are also a good source of zinc.
Good: eggs
One large egg contains about 16% of daily iodine and 20% of daily selenium, making eggs thyroid superfoods. So don't just eat egg whites, eat the whole egg, most of the iodine and selenium are located in the yolk.
Good: berries
The best diet for the thyroid gland requires more than just iodine, selenium, and vitamin D. Antioxidant-rich foods are also good for the thyroid gland, and antioxidants can help control thyroid dysfunction. Various berries are rich in antioxidants, with the "best" berry being black raspberry, which provides very high antioxidant levels, fiber, and relatively few natural sugars.
Good: cruciferous vegetables
Examples of cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, etc. Although when searching, eating normal portions of cooked vegetables does not affect thyroid problems. A 2016 study by Nutritional Reviews found that the number and type of cruciferous vegetables matter. Consumption of typical portions of raw broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, broccoli rabe is unlikely to impair thyroid function. However, excessive consumption of raw Russian/Siberian kale, some kale, and Brussels sprouts (e.g., intake of >1 kg/day for several months) reduces thyroid uptake of iodine and affects thyroid hormone production.
Lightning protection: gluten
FYI: This is only for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
According to a 2021 review published in Nutrients, celiac disease and autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease often coexist. The review notes that growing data support the presence of an important thyroid-gut axis – suggesting that gut microbes affect not only the immune system and micronutrient absorption, but also thyroid function. While it's not entirely clear whether a gluten-free diet can help treat thyroid disease, if you've been diagnosed with celiac disease, it's important to maintain a strict gluten-free diet to manage symptoms.
Lightning protection: processed foods
If you're considering increasing your intake of salty processed foods just to get more iodine in your diet, think again.
In addition, consuming too much sodium may make you develop high blood pressure and then heart disease.
Lightning protection: fast food
Similar to processed foods, fast-food chains are not required to use iodized salt in their foods.
Today's Pingkang Preferred Health Science is here, have you learned? Remember to pay attention to like, next time don't get lost!