Hypothyroidism is mainly caused due to improper functioning of the thyroid gland which may be due to the iodine deficiency and many other factors. The main cure for the hypothyroidism is taking the hypothyroidism diet. In this condition, symptoms include weight gain and in some cases due to water retention weight loss becomes a problem and thus a balanced diet should be taken. But in case of the hypothyroidism diet some foods should be consumed while the others should be strictly avoided.

The question arises as to what should the hypothyroidism diet consist of? The answer to this question is not a tedious job but to follow such a diet regimen becomes so but with time one tends to adjust. A healthy diet for a hypothyroidism patient should consist of:

• Whole grains
• Natural foods
• Fruits and vegetables
• Seafood along with other lean protein sources
• Multivitamins.

If possible one should cut down fats consumed.

Selenium is an important nutrient and should be included in the hypothyroidism diet as it acts as an antioxidant which is responsible for converting the thyroid hormone T4 in its active form i.e., T3.And it is believed that the Brazilian nuts are the richest source of selenium also it is present in some lean meats in case the nuts are not available.

But as is known in case of the hypothyroidism that weight gain is another important symptom .So, even weight control is an important aspect and to reduce excessive weight and prevent further weight gain the following considerations regarding the diet should be taken:

Fiber is an important key which helps in controlling the weight.

Fiber does not contain many calories and on the other hand makes one fell full and thus helps in reducing weight. Also, it is beneficial in case one is having constipation, another symptom of the hypothyroidism. The fiber can be taken either in the form of pills and naturally also. The fiber is present in a large amount in foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Oatmeal and beans are also a good source of fiber.

• Instead of the refined grains one should consume more of the whole grain cereals as apart from regulating the weight they also maintain the level of sugar in the blood and also, one fells fuller.
• The diet should be taken such that it is distributed into several small meals rather than three big meals. It has been observed that if five to six meals are taken then, the slow metabolism is balanced and hypothyroidism is kept under check.
• The exercise should also be done regularly.
• Some dieticians refer to the zone diets as hypothyroidism diet as they balance the insulin reaction to the food.
• Water intake should be increased as it keeps the weight under control and also detoxifies the system.

Apart from the foods which should be taken in the hypothyroidism diet there are some foods which should be avoided in case one is suffering from hypothyroidism are:

• Antibiotics
• Alcoholic drinks
• Food additives
• Refined oils and salt
• Sugar and other concentrated derived from it
• Fried foods
• Chlorinated water etc
.