In today’s post I want to shed some light on “Goitrogenic” foods. Don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard this term before. It’s generally not given much attention by most healthcare practitioners or by the mainstream media. In their defense, most people don’t need to worry about goitrogenic foods because they are found in some of the healthiest foods on earth, and because their effects are generally mild, at least for most people. However, there a few groups that should be aware of them.
If you are struggling to lose weight, if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, if you have constipation, dry skin, fatigue or cold hands/feet, if you’ve been diagnosed with a thyroid condition, or if you drink “green drinks” daily, then you might want to pay attention and learn about goitrogens. Ok, I guess that’s more than a few, which is why I want to share this!
The term “goitrogen” refers to any substance that can cause an enlarged thyroid gland. A “goiter” is the medical term for an enlarged thyroid so chemicals that do this are called goitrogens. These chemicals, commonly found in foods and drugs, prevent your thyroid from getting the necessary amount of iodine, which is needed to make adequate amounts of thyroid hormone. When iodine is not adequately available, the thyroid gland will make more cells in an attempt to keep up hormone production. It’s this increase in the number of cells that results in the enlargement of the gland.
So where do goitrogens come from?
Goitrogens are found in many commonly consumed foods. Here’s a list of foods that have highest levels:
bok choy
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
garden kress
kale
kohlrabi
mustard
mustard greens
radishes
rutabagas
soy
soy milk
soybean oil
soy lecithin
soy anything
tempeh
tofu
turnips
I know what you’re thinking right now. I thought I was supposed to eat these foods to stay healthy! I thought these were “super foods”. Aren’t these on the “the more, the better” list? And you’re right. Most of these foods are extremely nutrient dense and I generally recommend that people increases their intake of them.
This is where things get a little tricky. While these foods do contain goitogens, they don’t affect everyone the same. Some of us are much more sensitive to their effects than others. One person may thrive on these foods, being able to eat unlimited amounts, and another person may be starving their thyroid of iodine by eating them. So how do you know which group you’re in?
Most healthy individuals should be able to consume moderate amounts of goitroges with little to no downside, especially if you’re iodine intake is adequate. I would, however, recommend avoiding high intakes of raw goitrogen foods daily or multiple times a day (like adding a large bunch of raw kale to the ever more popular “green juice”).
However, there are some people who should be cautious with even a moderate amount of these foods. Anyone diagnoses with hypothyroidism or suffering with thyroid like symptoms including difficulty loosing weight, fatigue, constipation, dry skin, thinning hair or cold hands and feet should be mindful of their goitrogen consumption. Also, women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should moderate their exposure, because normal thyroid function is crucial for fertility and the growing fetus. Lastly, women who have been on the birth control pill or water pills and anyone that doesn’t eat seafood on a regular basis should watch their intake.
I hesitated to post this because the last thing I want is to scare people away from eating these healthy foods. However, I have seen several cases in the past month that responded favorably to cutting way back on the goitrogens and increasing their intake of iodine and iodine rich foods. So enjoy your green smoothy in moderation, but also be aware of the total amount of goitrogens in your diet and if you are in the higher risk group.
Dr. Paul Garcia