What is the Right Diet Plan for Thyroid Disorder?

Medical Reviewed by ASHWATHY V. PILLAI, Postgraduate Degree in Dietetics & Applied Nutrition

People with thyroid problem need to change their lifestyle and eating habits in a major way. You have to follow a diet plan for thyroid disorder to control the hormonal imbalance.

When you have hormonal imbalances due to thyroid problems, which play havoc with your weight.

A right diet plan for thyroid disorder can go along with your medication to bring back the balance.

Why is it important to eat according to the diet plan for a thyroid disorder?

Simply because thyroid disorder can give rise to different hunger and weight gain patterns.

Diet plan for hypothyroidism | Diet chat for hypothyroid patient | Diet plan for hyperthyroidism | Diet chat for hyperthyroid patient

While on one hand, hypothyroidism patients need to break up their meals into smaller portions and reduce the interval gap between meals.

On the other hand, people with hyperthyroidism problem tend to get more hungry as the body burns up more energy due to an overactive thyroid.

Thyroid diet chart is not only recommended for managing the thyroid problem but also as a therapy for thyroid conditions.

Diet Plan For Thyroid Disorder: Hypothyroidism

To make a diet chart for hypothyroidism patient it is first important to know which foods are good and which foods are bad for hypothyroidism condition.

While it may seem that some food substances may be beneficial for hypothyroidism yet they’re over consumption may actually be harmful.

One such example is the intake of Iodine.

Yes, even too much Iodine is bad for hypothyroidism condition as that may interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Knowing what foods to include in the diet chart and in what quantities is paramount to healthy eating in hypothyroidism condition.

Best Foods For Hypothyroid Patients

People with hypothyroidism problem benefit most from:

Fibrous, whole grain cereals, Fresh fruits and vegetables, Seeds and nuts, Seaweeds and edible algae, Lean meats like fish and chicken, Fresh and unprocessed dairy products, yoghurt,

Foods can be spiced up with metabolism boosting herbs and spices like:

Lemon, Garlic & Ginger , Green Chillies, Coriander & Mint, Turmeric, Cardamom, Clove, Cinnamon 

Foods Hypothyroid Patients Should Avoid

These are the foods you should avoid:

1. High gluten foods

2. High-calorie foods

3. Processed foods

4. Processed wheat

5. Goitrogen and cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli),

6. Coffee and alcohol

Sample Diet Chart for Hypothyroid Patients

• 6 am snacks: Few almonds, TruWeight seeds mixture, green tea.
• 9 am breakfast: Quinoa porridge/oats porridge, apple and papaya chat
• 12-noon lunch: Two chapattis, brown rice with green peas, fish and vegetable stew, yoghurt and banana
• 3 p.m snacks: TrueWeight drink prepared with TruWeight drink mixture, TruWeight crunchy snack mixture
• 6 p.m snacks: Green tea, no sugar oats pancake with cucumber, jalapenos, and tomato with mint and coriander dip.
• 9 p.m dinner: Tomato soup/chicken soup, two chapattis, mushroom and peas preparation, one bowl dal, brown rice pulao (cooked with very less oil), yoghurt with banana.

Diet Plan For Thyroid Disorder: Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid releases excess hormones that are required due to being overactive or enlarged. The condition is also known as thyrotoxicosis.

People suffering from hyperthyroidism condition are advised to take a low iodine and low salt diet.

Some foods like healthy fat and cruciferous vegetables that are not advisable for hypothyroid patients is beneficial for hyperthyroid patients.

However, even hyperthyroid patients should consume wholesome fresh foods with sufficient fibre content and avoid processed and refined foods and grains.

Hyperthyroid patients do not need to break their meals and can have their meals at usual timings.

Best foods for hyperthyroid patients

Hyperthyroid patients benefit from foods that are high on nutrition and contain healthy fats. These foods include:

• Honey
• Potato
• Fatty fish
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Beans and pulses
• Oats
• Whole grain cereals
• Seeds
• Vitamin D and Calcium rich foods 
• Coffee

Foods hyperthyroid patients should avoid

Foods with high iodine content, salts.

Sample Diet Chart for Hyperthyroid Patients

• 8 am breakfast: Coffee, homemade whole grain bread with lettuce/cucumber and cheese, egg, a mixture of muesli, apple and nuts with some organic fresh milk.
• 12-noon lunch: Cabbage/broccoli, potato and peas preparation, two chapattis, dal, yoghurt, fatty fish curry, yoghurt with maple syrup.
• 4 p.m tea: Tea or coffee with oats biscuits, Possible seed mixture, whole grain pancake with mashed potato, cucumber, and tomato.
• 8 p.m dinner: Chapatis, kidney beans preparation, basmati scented rice pulao, cottage cheese and spinach curry preparation, pudding with honey.

QUICK BYTES

What are the causes of hyperthyroidism? How does hyperthyroidism affect the body?

There can be several causes for hyperthyroidism. The major causes include Grave’s disease, genetic factors, thyroid cancers among other causes.

Hyperthyroid symptoms include a sudden decrease in weight, hunger, anxiety, sleeplessness, profuse sweating, pounding heart, fatigue, thinning of the skin, brittleness of hair, goiter (enlarged thyroid).

Hyperthyroidism condition is associated with higher than normal levels of T3, T4 and Calcitonin hormones in the blood which can cause cellular toxicity, bone loss, heart problems among other problems.

How does coconut oil benefit thyroid patients?

Coconut oil contains a good amount of fatty acids that help in boosting the body metabolism. The molecular structure of coconut oil is different from that of other oils and fats such that the oil aids metabolism and its getting stored as fat in the body is also lesser as compared to other fats and oils.

Coconut oil besides being good for body metabolism is also rich in antioxidants and antimicrobial elements. People with hypothyroidism disease are usually asked to limit their oil and fat intake.

Yet some foods need to be prepared with a little oil. So whenever oil needs to be added to the preparation for frying or stirring then it is best to use coconut oil for hypothyroidism patients.

What are the symptoms of wrong eating in hypothyroid patients?

Hypothyroid patients not only have to consume the correct foods but also consume them in the right quantities. For example, fibre and iodine are good for the thyroid yet if consumed in excess they can hinder thyroid functioning and absorption.

The diets that a hypothyroid patient consumes should make him/her feel less fatigue. The meals should provide the patient with ample nourishment to go through the day.

If after taking meals and medicines the patient feels extremely sluggish or cold then the foods may not have shown their correct effect on the patient’s body. It is best to work out diet charts on quantitative information.

Why should people, especially with thyroid disease drink pure water?

Pure water is free of fluorides and chlorine which can block iodine receptors of the thyroid gland. Coconut water is also considered good for thyroid patients.

How is excess iodine bad for the hypothyroid condition?

Excess iodine is as bad as iodine deficiency. Excess iodine does not make the thyroid intake more iodine and make more hormones.

Instead, excess iodine can actually hinder the absorption process of iodine by the gland giving rise to same symptoms as iodine deficiency.

Excess iodine can also cause inflammation of the thyroid gland and even thyroid cancer. The adult requirement of iodine is 150 mcg per day.