The state of the whole organism depends on the work of the thyroid gland . It is important to follow a balanced diet to maintain organ health and prevent various diseases. Proper nutrition prevents the formation of malignant tumors, adenomas and nodules. Foods that are good for the thyroid gland contain iodine in increased proportions, since this trace element is the most important for the synthesis of hormones.    

Nutrition rules for thyroid diseases: the need for nutrients and micronutrients

In case of deviations in the analyzes, you should know what useful and harmful foods for the thyroid gland are included in the daily menu, and correct it. If there are problems, it is recommended to increase the intake of these micronutrients:   

• Iodine – becomes necessary in case of insufficient thyroid function. If there is an excess of iodine in the body, it is highly undesirable to take it.  
• Manganese – prevents thyroid disease. The element is involved in all metabolic processes. 
• Selenium is involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones.  
• Cobalt, copper and vitamin B12 – stabilize the activity of the nervous system and strengthen the immune system, thereby preventing thyroid pathology.
• Tyrosine is an amino acid, a building “cement” for hormones produced by the thyroid gland.
• Iron is an important element in the complex treatment of pathology, without which iodide from food cannot be converted into a useful form of iodine.
• Omega-3 acids – maintain the integrity of the organ.

For the thyroid gland to function normally, a certain amount of protein must be regularly supplied with food . Normally, it is 95 g for the female body and 100 g for the male. People with significant weight loss need to increase their calorie intake by increasing the intake of fats, carbohydrates, proteins. Calorie content – up to 3000-3700 kcal / day.  

It is recommended to reduce the amount of salt consumed, as people with thyroid problems often have high blood pressure.

It is necessary to limit foods that cause fermentation, stimulate the central nervous system: spicy, fried foods, alcohol. You need to add seafood and milk to your diet, replenishing the deficiency of calcium and phosphorus.

With hypothyroidism (a syndrome of low concentration of hormones of the gland), cholesterol levels rise, and weight rapidly increases. For weight loss, it is worth consuming foods that stimulate the production of gastric juice and have a mild laxative effect.

What is good for the thyroid gland: food table

Useful foods for the thyroid gland can be divided into several types according to the main substances in the composition:

• Iodine-containing – sea fish, algae, other seafood, egg powder, persimmon, buckwheat, nuts, tomatoes.
• Fruits rich in potassium – bananas, pears, apricots, grapes, melon, apples.
• Plant foods containing polyunsaturated acids – nuts, seeds, unrefined oil, spinach.
• With manganese, cobalt, iron, copper – beans, cereals, rose hips, bran, strawberries, mushrooms, garlic, broccoli, Jerusalem artichoke, blueberries, gooseberries, pomegranate, lettuce, liver, poultry, radishes, beets. 
• Oxalic acid – rhubarb, spinach, cocoa powder, peanuts, dark chocolate, crackers, parsley, citrus peels, green peas, parsnips, raspberries, cranberries, asparagus, tomato juice, peaches, sardines, white bread, cucumbers.

All of these foods are capable of providing the necessary set of vitamins for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. But for this they need to be combined correctly. The most important for the thyroid gland, if it is poorly functioning, are iodine-containing foods. This table clearly shows the amount of a trace element and its daily requirement:

Product name	The amount of trace element per 100 g of product (in μg)	Daily requirement (in%)
Seaweed “cabbage”	300	150-200
Squid	200	140
Shrimp	100	75
Egg powder	65	45
Skimmed milk powder	55	38
Sea fish	fifty	34

List of foods that are harmful to the thyroid gland

Nutrition for thyroid disease in women and in the male half of the population should be varied. The list of allowed food allows this. When planning a diet, you need to take into account what you can’t eat and what the thyroid gland does not like. These potentially hazardous foods are:

• sugar;
• butter rolls;
• chocolates, cakes, marshmallows;
• coffee, strong black tea, cocoa;
• fast food ;
• products with chemical additives;
• pork and lamb fat ; 
• pickles, pickled preparations and canned food.

Junk food leads to increased thyroid excitability and hyperthyroidism. Due to an increase in the concentration of hormones, tumor processes can begin. Oncology of the thyroid gland is difficult to treat and is characterized by ultra-rapid metastasis, so it is better to engage in prophylaxis on time.

7 days menu

The thyroid diet is four meals a day in moderate portions (200 g) with plenty of drink. If that’s not enough, you can have light snacks between meals. Nutrition for thyroid disease should be something like this:

• Monday. In the morning, buckwheat with egg and green tea. For lunch, soup, chicken, stew, compote. For dinner, boiled fish, salad with seaweed, a decoction of the fruit of the sucker, for the second dinner, low-fat yogurt.
• Tuesday. In the morning, omelet or cottage cheese with fresh fruit. For lunch, light soup and chicken salad, as well as apple juice. For dinner, steamed fish cakes, vegetable salad, herbal tea. At night, you can eat a little cottage cheese or drink kefir.
• Wednesday. You can have breakfast with oatmeal with an omelet, drink tea or a coffee drink made from chicory. For lunch, beef roll with vegetables, salad and juice. You can have a snack with baked fish or vegetable stew, and for dinner before bedtime, drink fermented baked milk.
• Thursday. In the morning oatmeal with dried fruit and juice. For lunch, salad with fresh seaweed and chicken cutlets. For dinner, boiled seafood cocktail, salad, fresh juice, and yogurt before bed.
• Friday. For breakfast, buckwheat porridge with scrambled eggs and rosehip broth. For lunch, ear, chicken salad, green tea. For dinner, fish with fruit juice, for the second dinner, kefir.
• Saturday. In the morning oatmeal with dried fruits and green tea. For lunch, sandwiches with cod liver, vegetable salad, casserole with mushrooms. In the evening, baked sea bass and herbal decoction. Second supper is yogurt.
• Sunday is a fasting day.

Healthy recipes

Healthy products for the thyroid gland are quite versatile – many delicious dishes are prepared from them. For example, here are some chicken recipes:

1. Steam meat multivarka . Marinate fillet in lemon juice with Italian herbs, steam in standard mode. The food is served with a side dish in the form of a vegetable salad.
2. Oven baked stuffed meat. Make pockets in fillet, stuff with asparagus and hard cheese, sprinkle with dry herbs, bake food at 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
3. Chicken soup (dietary). Boil boneless meat, add potatoes, onion and carrots (not fried), boil for 25 minutes over low heat. At the end of cooking, add boiled quail eggs to the products (for beauty, you can cut them in half).

Eating seafood and plant proteins also increases the effectiveness of drug treatment for diseases and tumors of the thyroid gland.

Sea Fish Recipes for Thyroid Health:

1. Steamed sea bass. Prepare a marinade with soy sauce, honey, lemon, white wine and Italian herbs. Hold the fish in the marinade for 2 hours, steam for 20 minutes.
2. Halibut in the oven. Put chopped vegetables on a baking sheet, fish fillets on top, pour with olive oil, sprinkle with spices, spread cheese on top, bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees.
3. Sea cocktail soup. Boil potatoes, fry onions, add seafood cocktail and tomato paste, simmer for 4-6 minutes, mix all the ingredients, sprinkle with herbs.

Dietary supplements and vitamin and mineral complexes

A diet for thyroid disease will certainly help, but the effect will not come overnight. To speed up recovery, diet therapy should be supplemented with the intake of dietary supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes. They are selected individually, taking into account the type of thyroid disease: 

• against thyroiditis – Chlorophyll, Zambrose , Burdock ;  
• against hypothyroidism – Kelp , Garcinia, Bee Pollen , Grepine ;
• with hyperthyroidism – Morinda , Eyt , Lecithin;
• if there are nodes – Protease Plus, Shark cartilage. 

Dieting not only helps to cure thyroid diseases, but also teaches a person to eat properly. Thanks to this, the side effects of diseases of the gland disappear – excess weight, chronic fatigue, problems with the skin, nails, hair. It is difficult to radically change the diet, but the result is worth the effort.