Thyroid Issues, Food and You – Part 2

Thyroid Issues, Food and You – Part 2

This is a 3-part series on using foods to help balance thyroid hormones. If you missed Part 1 of this series, click here.

MAJOR NUTRIENTS TO SUPPORT THYROID HEALTH – Part 2

Selenium:  RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for women 19 years and older is 55 mcg; for pregnant women, this increases to 60 mcg, lactating/nursing women 70 mcg

Best Dietary Sources:  
Brazil nuts (777% RDA in 1-oz serving (6-8 nuts)),
Yellowfin tuna (131% RDA in 3-oz. cooked serving),
Halibut (67% RDA in 3-oz. cooked serving),
Sardines (64% RDA in 3-oz. canned in oil),
Ham (60% RDA in 3-oz serving),
Shrimp (57% RDA in 3-oz canned),
Beef (47% RDA in 3 oz. bottom round roast),
Turkey (44% RDA in 3-oz),
Chicken (31% RDA in 3-oz. serving),
Cottage cheese (29% RDA in 1 c. serving, 1% milkfat),
Brown long-grain rice (27% RDA in 1 c. cooked serving),
Ground beef (26% RDA in 3-oz. serving),
Egg (21% RDA in 1 hard boiled egg)

(Pictured: Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and dark chocolate chips. Quick, easy snack for home, office, or on-the-go!)

Again, I feel like I’m probably lacking a little here – my family does eat quite a bit of chicken and turkey, some beef but not very often, brown rice usually 1-2 times a week (sometimes more).  

Some of the lower-rated RDA foods (each around 20% per serving) include:

• whole wheat bread
• oatmeal
• spinach
• plain low-fat yogurt 

My family enjoys all of these pretty regularly.  

As I mentioned last week, adding 1 egg daily and 1 c. plain yogurt would help with my iodine intake, and would also boost my selenium without adding calories to my daily food intake.  I could also add 2-3 Brazil nuts with my morning snack to get all the selenium I need for the day (plus potassium, a little protein, and some healthy fats) packed into about 70 calories.  

I’m all about multipurpose foods (you know, super foods that pack tons of nutrition with relatively low calorie counts!).

Take a close look at your daily food intake and determine whether you should be including more of these selenium-rich foods for your thyroid health!  

If you’re enjoying the valuable info in this thyroid series, you’ll love my amazing combo-pack of resources for more about eating for energy, boosting mood, relieving stress, and more! Get your Power Pack!: 

CLICK HERE for Part 3 of this series.

Please comment below and share with us: Which foods from this list do you eat a lot of, or which do you plan to start eating more?

 

 

Resources: www.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/
                    www.womentowomen.com/hypothyroidism/foods-naturalthyroidhealth.aspx