Many cultures have consumed quinoa for centuries. Native to South America, quinoa is a grain containing more nutrients than other cereal grains. Although no particular food improves thyroid function specifically, thyroid problems are linked to other diseases that may be affected by food. Consult your physician if you are having problems with your thyroid before making any dietary changes.
Quinoa
Quinoa is high in protein. The grain also contains all the essential amino acids, making quinoa a complete protein. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium and iron. It is also high in some vitamins, such as vitamin E and vitamin B-2, and high in fiber. Most notably, however, quinoa does not contain any gluten, making it a good replacement food for people with gluten intolerance. You can replace rice or pasta with quinoa and have a healthier and gluten-free meal. Some naturopaths suggest that gluten may affect the thyroid.
Diet and Thyroid
Many websites and alternative practitioners suggest a “thyroid diet” may improve your thyroid’s function. According to Todd B. Nippoldt, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, there is no evidence that eating or avoiding certain foods will affect your thyroid function. Your thyroid gland regulates hormones that are important in many different metabolic functions. If you have an underactive thyroid, you will need to take hormones to replace the hormones your thyroid is not making.
Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease, has a number of various symptoms. In celiac disease, eating gluten, a protein found in wheat and barley, triggers an autoimmune response. Although the symptoms commonly affect the digestive system, symptoms may occur in any part of the body. Many people with celiac disease also have thyroid problems, leading some alternative practitioners to suggest that gluten may also trigger thyroid problems. Since quinoa is a gluten-free food, it may help improve the thyroid.
Research
Research published in 2008 in the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” sought to connect thyroid disorders and celiac disease. Researchers reviewed 14,021 records of people with celiac disease from 1964 to 2003 in Sweden. The team compared these records to 68,000 non-celiac control records matched for age and gender and found that people with celiac disease are more likely to have thyroid dysfunction. According to the study, physicians diagnosed hypothyroidism four times more often in people with celiac disease than people who do not have celiac disease and diagnosed hyperthyroidism more than three times as often in celiac disease.
References
- Purdue University: Quinoa; E.A. Oelke, et al.
- MayoClinic.com: Hypothyroidism Diet: Can Certain Foods Increase Thyroid Function?; Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.; November 2010
- “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism”; Risk of Thyroid Disease in Individuals with Celiac Disease; Peter Elfström, et al.; October 2008
- Cooking Quinoa: Red Quinoa vs. White Quinoa; Wendy Polisi; February 2011
- Cooking Quinoa: Is Quinoa Gluten Free?; Wendy Polisi; February 2011
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Celiac Disease
