What to Eat to Support a Sluggish Thyroid: Your Complete Guide
The thyroid, a small gland in your neck, plays a vital role in regulating your metabolism and energy levels. When it’s underactive, you may feel fatigued, gain weight, have dry skin, difficulty conceiving, worse menopausal symptoms or struggle with brain fog. If these symptoms sound familiar, addressing your thyroid health through nutrition can offer significant support.
In the UK, hypothyroidism affects around 2% of the population, with a staggering 6.4% of women potentially undiagnosed. While medication is often necessary, the right diet can also help improve thyroid function and overall wellbeing. Let’s explore the best foods for supporting your thyroid and the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
Understanding Thyroid Health and Nutrition
While iodine is important for thyroid hormone production, it’s just one part of the puzzle. Other key nutrients, such as selenium, zinc, and certain vitamins, play a critical role in ensuring the thyroid functions properly. It’s important to focus on a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet that provides these nutrients and helps reduce inflammation, which is often linked to thyroid issues, particularly in autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s.
Thyroid-Supporting Nutrients and Foods
Protein: Ensuring adequate protein intake at each meal supports hormone production and helps maintain steady energy levels. Opt for lean meats, eggs, fish, and plant-based proteins like beans and lentils.
Selenium: This mineral is essential for activating thyroid hormones and reducing inflammation. Selenium-rich foods include Brazil nuts (just one or two daily is enough), seafood, eggs, and pork.
Zinc: Zinc helps the thyroid produce hormones and is important for overall immune function. Great sources of zinc include meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, and shellfish.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3s, found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel, as well as flaxseeds and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit thyroid health. If you don’t eat fish, algae oil is a good plant-based alternative.
B Vitamins: B vitamins, especially B12, are vital for energy production and thyroid function. You’ll find B vitamins in eggs, meat, fish, and leafy green vegetables. For vegans or vegetarians, fortified foods or supplements may be necessary to meet your B12 needs.
Iron: Low iron levels can impair thyroid function. Iron-rich foods include red meat, spinach, lentils, and fortified cereals. Pairing plant-based sources with vitamin C-rich foods can improve absorption.
Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory Foods: A diet rich in colourful fruits and vegetables, herbs like turmeric and ginger, and dark leafy greens can reduce inflammation and support thyroid health. Foods like berries, spinach, and dark chocolate (in moderation) provide powerful antioxidants that protect against oxidative stress, which can damage thyroid cells.
Foods to Avoid for Optimal Thyroid Health
Certain foods may interfere with thyroid function or exacerbate inflammation, so it’s important to limit or avoid them:
Sugar and Processed Foods: Refined sugars and highly processed foods can increase inflammation and disrupt blood sugar balance, which may negatively affect thyroid health. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods to keep inflammation in check.
Gluten: Many people with thyroid issues, particularly those with Hashimoto’s, are sensitive to gluten. Gluten intolerance can exacerbate autoimmune responses and inflammation. If you suspect gluten is affecting you, consider trying a gluten-free diet or seeking testing to determine your sensitivity (we can do this through a gluten screen as well as a stool test).
Dairy: Like gluten, dairy can cause inflammation or digestive issues in some people with thyroid conditions. If you notice symptoms like bloating, fatigue, or skin breakouts after consuming dairy, it may be worth trying an elimination diet to see if dairy is a trigger.
Alcohol: There are multiple pathways that alcohol increases hypothyroidism risk. It directly affects the production of thyroid hormone, increase inflammation and oxidative stress which can worsen autoimmune thyroid disorders, it can cause nutrient deficiencies such as zinc, selenium and B vitamins as well as magnesium and vitamin D.
Supporting Weight Loss with a Sluggish Thyroid
Hypothyroidism can make weight loss more difficult, but it’s not impossible. Focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods that support metabolism and energy levels. Making sure you have a 12 hour fast (or ‘digestive break’ as I call it) , can be helpful for some people in managing blood sugar and inflammation.
A low-carbohydrate, anti-inflammatory diet that prioritises healthy fats, proteins, and non-starchy vegetables can also be effective for improving energy and supporting weight loss with hypothyroidism. However, every individual is different, so it’s important to listen to your body and adjust your diet accordingly.
Comprehensive Thyroid Testing
If you suspect thyroid issues, your GP may test your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels. However, this may not give the full picture of thyroid health. A more detailed thyroid panel that includes free T3, free T4 and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb) can provide deeper insights, particularly if you’re dealing with autoimmune thyroid conditions. You would get tested for these key blood markers in a program with me or in my Wellness Check.
Do you have an autoimmune thyroid problem?
The thyroid markers TPOAb and TgAb, which are often not included in standard GP tests, detect the presence of autoimmune antibodies (thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies). These antibodies indicate that your immune system is attacking your thyroid.
Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune condition that leads to an underactive thyroid, is very common. However, without testing for these antibodies, you may not know you have it.
GPs typically don't test for these markers, as it doesn't change their approach to treatment – you'll still be prescribed thyroxine regardless of the diagnosis.
However, this test is crucial for us as nutritional therapists because your treatment plan will change significantly if autoimmune thyroid issues are involved. We'll need to shift our focus to addressing what's triggering your immune system and work on calming that response.
Final Thoughts
If you’re struggling with low energy, weight gain, or brain fog, consider how your diet may be impacting your thyroid health. By incorporating thyroid-supportive foods—rich in protein, selenium, zinc, and anti-inflammatory nutrients—you can help your thyroid function more efficiently and boost your overall well-being.
For personalised guidance, book a free 20-minute Health Review call with me to discuss how we can create a nutrition and lifestyle plan tailored to your thyroid health. Let’s get you feeling energised and thriving again!
My programs are tailored specifically for people like you. I dig deep to uncover the unique factors contributing to your thyroid issues, allowing us to create a highly targeted plan. While I work with many clients dealing with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's, each person's symptoms, family history, lifestyle, and daily demands are different. That's why a personalised approach to nutrition and lifestyle delivers far better results than a one-size-fits-all solution.
Sound good? Book in a free 20 minute Health Review call and see if we can work together.
I'm Gemma Westfold, BANT registered Nutritional Therapist.
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