How to Avoid Iodine Foods With Thyroid Disease

Consuming either too much or too little iodine can be detrimental to your health. What's more, researchers have linked both iodine deficiency and iodine excess to thyroid health. If you are being treated for thyroid disease, be extremely careful about iodine consumption, as too much iodine can stimulate the thyroid beyond desirable levels. Know which foods to avoid in order to minimize your iodine intake.

Instructions

1

Eliminate your consumption of iodized salt, the most common source of iodine consumption.

2

Avoid seaweed and sea kelp products. Seaweed is most popular in Asian cuisine, where it is used in salad, sushi and rice snacks. If you are a sushi lover, choose morsels that don't contain seaweed wraps.

3

Limit your intake of seafood. Shellfish, in particular---including clams, mussels and oysters---is naturally high in iodine, as are cod, haddock and other types of fish.

4

Reduce your consumption of dairy products, including milk, eggs and cheese. This is especially relevant when dairy products are produced in geographic areas near bodies of water, where iodine levels are higher.

5

Avoid processed foods that contain even moderate amounts of iodized salt. Eat homemade meals instead of frozen dinners. Homemade breads and artisan food products are less likely to contain high levels of iodine.