8 Great Foods to Include in Your Diet for Hypothyroidism

Diet

Often unnoticed, the thyroid gland is one of the most important parts of the body and controls almost all the primary functions. Though the gland does not gain much attention when it functions normally, a little irregularity in it can affect your life significantly. Responsible for managing essential functions like metabolism, body temperature as well as heartbeat, thyroid disturbance can hamper your day to day life in multiple ways. While some people get overactive thyroid, there are others, who complain of an underactive thyroid.

Underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism is quite common these days. If you are also affected by this condition, you can take a peek at the diet suggestions that can help in dealing with the problem effectively. This diet for hypothyroidism can help you cope with symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, digestive problems, dry skin, depression, and body ache.

  • An apple a day
    Rich in pectin, apple can be a good choice for anyone diagnosed with hypothyroidism. It not only gives a boost to the metabolism and helps fight constipation but also limits the fat absorption ability of cells. This, in turn, helps you in reducing the excess weight fast. Apart from an apple, you can also include, oranges, grapefruits as well as peaches in your diet.
  • Brazil nuts
    Taking a few Brazil nuts can help you to deal with hypothyroidism. A great source of selenium, Brazil nuts can protect the thyroid tissues, which in turn helps in treating the symptoms of hypothyroidism problems. However, do not take it in excess, as it can lead to severe side-effects like nail discoloration or hair fall.
  • Yogurt
    A dependable source of Vitamin D, a spoonful of yogurt can help you in protecting against symptoms of hypothyroidism. It efficiently manages hypothyroidism and helps in controlling frequent hunger pangs. It also enables you to keep your weight in check and makes you more active. Apart from being abundant in Vitamin D supply, yogurt is also rich in probiotics, which in turn ensures the overall well-being of gut.
  • Chicken
    Animal protein like chicken is an excellent source of amino acid, tyrosine and dopamine in particular. Both of these play a crucial role in managing thyroid as well as weight gain related to it. Tyrosine deficiency often leads to an underactive thyroid, which can cause constant hunger pangs, leading to weight gain or obesity. Protein like chicken can also help in improving the texture of your hair and nails.
  • Eggs
    Not just chicken, eggs too can be a good choice for thyroid patients. Eating two whole eggs every day will boost the metabolism as well. However, if you have cholesterol issues, ask your doctor about the consumption patterns.
  • Salmon
    Known for its omega-3 fatty acid content and anti-inflammatory properties, salmon can improve the symptoms of your thyroid.
  • Oyster
    Oyster has a rich source of zinc, needed to manage thyroid effectively. Even though zinc does not play a direct role in weight management, yet it has an enormous impact on metabolism rate. People with zinc deficiency have a poor metabolism, which in turn prevents them from losing weight. According to experts, six oysters can provide 30mg of zinc, which is required any adult to control hypothyroidism.
  • Green tea
    Make an intelligent choice and opt for tea over coffee. Switch to green tea without artificial sugar and manage weight effectively. It also has antioxidants which can reduce inflammation in the body.

When you are making a diet for hypothyroidism, you should be realistic about your choices. The foods you list in your everyday meals should be something that you will like to eat. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to stick to the chart. Also, make sure to keep some variations in the foods included in your diet for hypothyroidism. Taking the same food every other day will make it a boring task, and you will be tempted to eat something unhealthy. At the same time, also be mindful of how you cook the ingredients mentioned above. For instance, cooking proteins like salmon or chicken in standard vegetable oils or butter can make it greasy and compromise its nutritional value. Instead, you can opt for extra virgin olive oil so that it could retain the goodness of the ingredients.
Though you can quickly prepare your diet for hypothyroidism by learning what to eat and what to avoid, it will always be better to take the help of a dietician. They can help you not only with different choices of food, but also they can provide you with the measurement or portions that you need to take. This will help in improving your thyroid condition significantly as well as instantly.