Foods That Can Cause Problems

Goitrogenic Foods

Goitrogenic foods can act like an antithyroid drug in disabling the thyroid function. They prevent the thyroid from using available iodine. It is made worse if you use a lot of salt because that causes the thyroid to swell. Do not eat these in large amounts if you are taking thyroid hormone replacement. It is thought that the enzymes involved in the formation of goitrogenic materials in plants can be destroyed by cooking, so cook these foods thoroughly if you want to eat them.

• Brussels sprouts, rutabaga, turnips, cauliflower, cabbage and kale
• Almonds, peanuts and walnuts
• Sweetcorn, sorghum and millet
• Soya – this combined with a high fibre diet causes too much thyroid hormone and iodine to be excreted from the body
• Raw Swedes, turnips and kale - These are sometimes fed to cattle and come to us via their milk products.