Most people would certainly consider natural foods as good for them, enhancing their health and even helping them to lose weight. But there are usually exceptions to most rules. It is not so well known that some foods can actually hinder the thyroid function due to pacific plant compounds in these foods known as goitrogens. There are two in particular you need to know about because they are used very extensively in the food industry, they are peanuts and soy. Soy in one form or another is found in so many manufactured foods these days. You will also find peanuts and peanut oil in a lot of products too. Then add to this the fact that most people eat too many foods that contain sugar and refined carbohydrates that also have a detrimental effect on the thyroid function too, mainly due to the fact that these foods lack the very nutrients needed to convert one thyroid hormone into another more active form. Then there are the chemical pollutants, pesticides, mercury, chlorine, and fluoride that all have a harsh affect on the thyroid gland.
Other big enemies to the thyroid glands normal function
The processed vegetable oils freely found on the supermarket shelves and in just about every manufactured food available. The majority of the oils are made from soybeans or partly from soybeans. These highly processed oils are heated to extreme temperatures, changing the molecular structure of the oil, causing serious free radical damage to every cell in the body, including the thyroid cells.
It is almost impossible to buy processed packaged foods of the shelf that doesn’t contain to some degree soybean oil. Unfortunately, most often just labeled as vegetable oil, hydrogenated fat, partially hydrogenated fat, margarine or shortening. It is important to become an avid label reader of the ingredient list found on all processed food products.
These cheap processed oils interfere with your thyroid function by
a) blocking thyroid hormone secretion
b) hindering its general circulation
c) altering the cells response to the hormone
Anything that interferes with the function and production of the thyroid hormone will interfere with cholesterol and hormone levels.
If you eat a lot of soybean products because you are a vegetarian consider cutting down and adding more variety of beans and lentils to your diet. The important thing to consider if you are a vegetarian always mix beans or lentils with grains this will give you the amino acids you need for a protein. So you would for example have brown rice with a bean chili or a lentil casserole with millet.
The other thing to consider about soybean products is that most of the soybeans on the world market are genetically modified and soybean products are also quite hard to digest. I suggest buying organic tofu to eat it occasionally. The process of fermenting soybeans to make tofu helps in digestion and being organic it will not be genetically modified.
From now on read label carefully and avoid those foods that will hinder your thyroid function and ultimately your weight loss, general health and energy levels.
Author Resource:
Sonia Jones - I am a Brit living and working in Panama for the last five years. A naturopath, nutritional therapist and reflexologist with 20 years experience. A published author of three books. Owns her own spas and clinic, and launched her own natural organic skin care range. Married for 34 years - husband and business partner, who is also a acupuncturist. http://www.arthritisalternativetreatment.com http://www.naturalweightlossmethods.com
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