Low Iodine Diet & Peanut Butter

According to information from the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, a low-iodine diet is often prescribed during the treatment process for thyroid cancer. As the thyroid utilizes the majority of the iodine absorbed by the body, a low-iodine diet effectively "starves" it of iodine, making it more susceptible to be damaged when followed by a later injection of radioactive iodine into the body. Thus, it is important to fully comply with the requirements of a low-iodine diet, including its recommendations on the consumption of peanut butter.

Foods to Avoid

Avoid foods which are unacceptably high in iodine content. While all foods contain some amounts of iodine, certain foods contain disproportionately high amounts of the substance. According to information from the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, these foods include iodized salt, sea salt, seafood, other sea vegetables (kelp, seaweed, and the like), all dairy products, foods containing the ingredients agar-agar, nori, algin, alginate, or carrageenan (common additives for foods such as jelly, soup and sauce, so be sure to read food labels carefully to avoid these products), egg yolk, commercial breads (homemade breads are fine), chocolate, soy products, beans, potato skin, and foods containing the additive red dye 3.

Beyond that, limit your consumption of meats, grains and rices. While not entirely forbidden, they contain larger amounts of iodine that can easily add up. Consume no more than five ounces of meat per day, four servings of grain, and two servings of rice.

Foods to Consume

Eat the following foods without restriction while following a low-iodine diet. Fresh fruits, fruit juices, fresh veggies, unsalted nuts (and nut butters, like peanut butter), condiments such as jelly, honey, sugar, syrup, and molasses, herbs and spices, oils made from vegetables, and beverages such as non-instant coffee, tea, colas, lemonade, and alcohols. Finally, note that when dealing with peanut butter, you should remember to always check the label to ensure that salt has not been added to the product.