Are Veggies Harmful For Your Thyroid?

Are veggies safe to eat if you have a thyroid problem? The answer for most people is YES. Certain vegetables do contain a potentially harmful ingredient known as a goitrogen.

Vegetables that are high in goitrogens can theoretically exacerbate thyroid problems because of how they interfere with the thyroid gland.

Goitrogens are substances that block the uptake of iodine into your thyroid gland.

If you block iodine uptake into the thyroid gland then you may have issues in producing or creating thyroid hormone. If you don't produce enough thyroid hormone then you may experience low thyroid symptoms as well as a feedback loop that causes thyroid gland enlargement (thus where the name goitrogenic compound comes from).

But even though certain vegetables contain these compounds, they often do not contain enough to cause any sort of real issue.

Furthermore, you can reduce the content of goitrogens in vegetables by simply preparing them correctly. Boiling or steaming your vegetables will reduce the goitrogenic compounds found in them.

Unfortunately, the boiling process does reduce some of the nutrient content as well, though, which should be considered.

Even if you are consuming raw vegetables, though, you'd have to eat raw vegetables every single day for 3-5 servings a day to have any sort of real negative impact on your thyroid.

Vegetables with the highest goitrogenic value include: Kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens

Some people are also more at risk for experiencing issues when consuming these vegetables compared to others.

Those at risk include:

People with existing Iodine deficiency

Pregnant women and women who are lactating

Remember:

Don't avoid vegetables because you are worried about goitrogens! Even if they have a small negative impact on your thyroid, that impact is usually dwarfed when compared to the positive impact that veggies have on your body and thyroid. This is especially true if you avoid eating veggies in favor of processed foods.

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Disclaimer:

Dr. Westin Childs received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic medicine in 2013. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Childs is no longer practicing medicine and does not hold an active medical license so he can focus on helping people through videos, blog posts, research, and supplement formulation. To read more about why he is no longer licensed please see this page: https://www.restartmed.com/what-happe...