Login or Register

Diet Plan That Works With Hypothyroidism

Jul 20, 2011 | By Maura Shenker
Diet Plan That Works With Hypothyroidism
Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Hypothyroidism can slow your metabolism and cause weight gain. Although your diet cannot cause low thyroid function, it can be used to boost hormone production and keep your metabolism high. You may need to take supplemental thyroid hormone replacements to help regulate hormone production. Exercising regularly and paying attention to portion control and calories will help you reach and maintain your goal weight. Talk to your doctor before starting a diet, especially if you have health problems.

Metabolism and Calories

Because weight gain is common with hypothyroidism, determine how many calories you can consume to lose or maintain your ideal weight. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends you eat 12 calories per pound of your ideal body weight. If you'd like to weigh 140 lbs., eat between 1,650 and 1,700 calories daily. You can lose weight more quickly by cutting calories, but you must eat enough to support basic metabolic function -- at least 1,200 to 1,500 calories daily. If you eat fewer calories, your metabolism will slow down to conserve energy, and your hypothyroidism already slows metabolism. The slower your metabolism, the harder it is to lose weight.

Dietary Guidelines

Unless you have other underlying medical conditions, your should follow the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Mayo Clinic says there is no specific diet for hypothyroidism, but does note that certain foods can interfere with absorption of your thyroid medication. Following a high-fiber diet can help you lose weight by adding bulk to your diet without adding calories. The USDA recommends you get between 25 g and 38 g of fiber daily, depending on your age and gender. But the Mayo Clinic points out that fiber can stop your body from using synthetic thyroid hormone properly, and recommends you wait several hours after taking your supplemental hormone before eating high-fiber foods.

Macronutrients

There are three macronutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Carbs should make up the majority of your diet -- between 45 percent and 65 percent of your calories daily. Between 10 percent and 35 percent of your diet should come from protein, with between 25 percent and 35 percent from fat. Most fat should be unsaturated; less than 7 percent of your total calories should come from saturated fat, and less than 1 percent should come from trans fats. To keep your metabolism high, the American College of Sports Medicine says that at least 18 percent to 20 percent of your diet should come from lean protein, which may help to build muscle mass. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, boosting metabolism.

Goitrogenic Foods

Certain foods contain chemical compounds that can affect your thyroid, interfering with hormone production. Called goitrogenic foods, these foods can be included in your diet, but care must be taken. Vegetables that are part of the brassica family -- including Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, collards, kale and turnip greens -- contain goitrogens, but they are deactivated by heat; cook brassica vegetables rather than eating them raw. Soy isoflavones can also disrupt thyroid hormones. According to the "Journal of the American Thyroid Association," soy foods inhibit the absorption of thyroid hormones and "may increase the dose of thyroid hormone required by hypothyroid patients." Fortunately, if your iodine intake is adequate, there is no need to avoid soy entirely. Iodine deficiency is very rare in the U.S. -- the RDA for iodine is 150 mcg daily; 1 tsp. of table salt contains 400 mcg.

References

Article reviewed by Bonny Brown Jones Last updated on: Jul 20, 2011

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments