The Big Three: Foods to Watch Out For

When it comes to your thyroid, some foods are just not its friends. The biggest troublemakers are sugar, gluten, and dairy. These can cause inflammation and make it harder for your thyroid to do its job.

Gluten: A Sneaky Saboteur

Gluten is a general name for proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. It’s what gives bread its chewy texture and helps food hold its shape. You’d be surprised where gluten shows up – it’s in a lot of processed foods you might not expect. Wheat is the most common source of gluten. Inside gluten, there are two main proteins: glutenin and gliadin. It’s the gliadin protein that often causes problems for our health, especially for the thyroid.

Key Takeaways:

Gluten can make thyroid function worse.
It’s found in wheat, barley, rye, and many processed foods.
Gliadin, a protein in gluten, is particularly problematic.

You may want to try cutting out foods rich in gluten completely. Here’s a list of common gluten-containing foods:

Wheat
Barley
Rye
Flour (unless it’s gluten-free)
Spelt
Farro
Couscous
Most breads and snacks
Pasta
Baked goods (cakes, waffles, pastries)
Be more careful with packaged products from the store, especially things like ketchup, various sauces, and salad dressings. These often have hidden gluten. Going gluten-free can really help your thyroid health.

Sugar: The Sweet Enemy

Sugar is another big one to avoid. This includes not just the sugar you add to your coffee, but also all the products that have sugar in them. Think about it:

Alcohol
Juices
Energy drinks
Iced tea
These can be really bad for your thyroid. Sugar can cause a lot of inflammation in your body, which is never good for any organ, especially your thyroid.

Dairy: A Common Culprit

Dairy products can also lead to a lot of inflammation in the body. They can be tough to digest for many people and are a common reason for irritable bowel syndrome. If dairy messes with your digestion, it means you might not be absorbing the good stuff from other foods. While organic dairy might be better, the milk and dairy products we usually get today are often far from ideal.

In general, sugar, gluten, and dairy products can significantly worsen thyroid function. It’s worth considering how much of these you’re eating if you’re concerned about your thyroid health.

Taking Charge of Your Health

So, what’s the simplest way to be healthy and take control of your well-being? The first step is to learn about healthy eating and how to practice “intermittent fasting,” which many consider to be a very healthy way to eat. The second step is to learn how to use natural remedies for your health issues.