9 Foods to Avoid with Hypothyroidism (2024)

Certain foods like fatty meat and cruciferous veggies may interfere with the production of thyroid hormone.

Hypothyroidism can be a tricky condition to manage, and what you eat can interfere with your treatment. Some nutrients heavily influence how well the thyroid gland works, and certain foods can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb the replacementhormonesyou may take as part of your thyroid treatment.

As with many health conditions, some factors of hypothyroidism are out of your control, including your family history and the environment around you. But diet also plays a prominent role. And since you’re the one in charge of your plate, you can decide which thyroid-friendly foods to choose.

Some items on this list to avoid may strike you as odd, like fiber and coffee, because for many other diets they’re considered ‘healthy’ or ‘safe’ picks. You can still enjoy these food groups, but moderating how much you have is a good idea whenmanaging hypothyroidism.

But many of the others to watch out for already fall into the no-no category as part of a smart diet, so skipping them, or at least cutting way back, is definitely a no-brainer. These include fried fast-food meals, saltyprocessed foods, sugary treats, such as pastry, cake, cookies, and ice cream, and excessive alcohol.

So while there’s no such thing as a “hypothyroidism diet” that will make you well, eating smart can help you feel better despite the condition. Here are nine foods to limit or avoid as you managehypothyroidism.

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Foods With Soy, Including Edamame, Tofu, and Miso

There’s long been concern over the potential negative effects that certain compounds insoy— called isoflavones —may have on the thyroid. Some researchers believe that too much soy may increase a person’s risk for hypothyroidism. A study inScientific Reports, however, found that soy has no effect onthyroid hormonesand very modestly raisesthyroid stimulating hormonelevels.

So there are no specific dietary guidelines, butsome researchdoes suggest that eating soy may interfere with your ability to absorb thyroid medication. For that reason, the Mayo Clinic advises waitingfour hoursafter eating soy-based foods before taking your regular medication dose. Check with your doctor to see what’s best for you.

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Cruciferous Vegetables Like Broccoli and Cauliflower

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Gluten, Found in Bread and Pasta

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Fatty Foods Such as Butter, Meat, and All Things Fried

Fats have been found to disrupt the body’s ability to absorb thyroid hormone replacement medicines, saysStephanie Lee, MD, PhD, director of the Thyroid Health Center at Boston Medical Center and a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts.

Fats may also interfere with the thyroid’s ability to produce hormone as well. Some healthcare professionals recommend that you cut out allfried foodsand reduce your intake of fats from sources such as butter, mayonnaise, margarine, and fatty cuts of meat.

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Sugary Foods Like This Delicious Chocolate Cake

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Processed Foods in Packages and the Frozen Aisle

“Processed foods tend to have a lot of sodium, andpeople with hypothyroidismshould avoid sodium,” Frechman says. Having anunderactive thyroidincreases a person’s risk for high blood pressure, and too much sodium further increases this risk.

Read the “Nutrition Facts” label on the packaging of processed foods to find the lowest-sodium options. People with an increased risk forhigh blood pressureshould limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day, according to theAmerican Heart Association.

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Excess Fiber From Beans, Legumes, and Vegetables

Getting enoughfiberis good for you, but too much can complicate your hypothyroidism treatment. The most recent edition of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that most adults should take in 25 to 38 grams (g) of fiber a day (based on a goal of 14 g of fiber per every 1,000 calories in their diet). Amounts of dietary fiber from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, and legumes that go above that level affect your digestive system and can interfere with absorption of thyroid hormone replacement drugs.

If you change to a high-fiber diet, ask your doctor if you need a higher dose ofthyroid medication. Your maintenance dose may need to be increased if you aren’t absorbing enough medication.

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Coffee: Time Your First Cup Carefully in the Morning

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Alcohol Doesn’t Play Well With Your Thyroid

Alcohol consumption can wreak havoc on boththyroidhormone levels in the body and the ability of the thyroid to produce hormones, according to astudy. Alcohol appears to have a toxic effect on the thyroid gland and suppresses the ability of the body to use thyroid hormone. Ideally, people with hypothyroidism should cut out alcohol completely ordrink in careful moderation.