Did you know around 42 million people in India suffer from thyroid dysfunction? Indian epidemiological study shows that 1 in every 10 people suffer from thyroid dysfunction. According to a study in Cochin, the prevalence of hypothyroidism ranges from 3.9 – 9.4 % in the population. Here is a detailed Indian diet plan for hypothyroidism. This diet plan for thyroid and weight loss will solve all your problems.
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India is the most culturally rich country in the world. Our famous Indian philosopher Sri Ravi Shankarji quotes, ” India is home to 7 unparalleled traditions namely – spirituality, Ayurveda, music, fabric and attire, information technology, tourism and last but not the least, It is home to food ”. We are what we eat, but have we ever thought about whether what we are eating is correct or sufficient for our body? With the modernization of the world, we are losing the true essence of food. Too many modifications in the diet may lead to certain deficiencies in the body.
The first image that we see when we hear “hypothyroidism” is of a woman in her later stages of life. Whereas in reality anyone and everyone are prone to this metabolic disorder. Although, women are 3 times more prone to this condition.
Various factors contributing to thyroid dysfunction are –
In India, it is more prevalent because of low iodine content in soil and rampant use of pesticides for food preservation. Contaminated drinking water and non-degradable industrial wastes also increase the possibilities of hypothyroid. Indian diets are predominantly cereal-based yet they are quite varied. The areas with staple cereals or refined cereals also show a high incidence of hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism slows down the body’s metabolism. This causes a worrisome weight gain as a major side-effect for an individual. Constipation, hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, and changes in the menstrual cycle are its other accompanying side effects.
Read some more tips on diet and hypothyroidism.
Diet can be the first line of defense to tackle hypothyroidism. As our motto says why worry when we can plan.
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Consume up to 7 to 9 servings of cereals (1 serving = 30 gms raw) throughout the day. Whole grains should be selected over refined cereals. Fiber-rich whole grains relieve constipation and aids in weight loss. Opt for the following cereals.
Oats: Porridge, upma, or pancakes.
Quinoa: Salad, quinoa missi roti or upma.
Rice: Brown rice and black rice.
Millets: jowar roti or mix flour thalipeeth. (Use bajra in moderation or avoid when possible.)
Whole wheat and broken wheat: chapatis or khakras, broken wheat upma, or daliya with milk.
This food group is considered a power-packed energy-giving food group. Dals and pulses are not only rich in proteins and fiber, but also rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. They are low in fat. The high protein content helps in the regulation of thyroid hormone and in reducing fatigue. They also help in weight reduction. Recommendation is up to 2 -3 servings/day (1 serving = 30 gms raw). A variety of dals and pulses like moong, moth beans, chawli, rajma, chickpea, channa, kidney beans, etc can be included.
Omega 3 rich nuts like walnuts and flax seeds help in reducing body stress and boosts immunity. They also help to maintain the integrity of brain cells. Nuts such as Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, which helps in thyroid gland stimulation and action. Restrict the nuts to only 2 – 3 nuts /day as they are high in fat content.
Calcium and proteins rich milk and milk products form an integral part of the Indian diet plan for Hypothyroidism as they help in the functionality of the thyroid gland. Calcium maintains muscle activity while proteins help in the transport of thyroid hormone throughout the body. Vitamin D present in milk keeps the hormone pathway in check.
Select low-fat milk, curd, buttermilk, or paneer up to 2 -3 servings/day (1 serving = 150 ml of cow’s milk).
An antioxidant-rich variety of fruits and vegetables reduces the body’s stress and also maintains skin health. It boosts immunity, otherwise compromised in hypothyroidism. Have at least 5 -6 servings/day of colorful vegetables and fruits. 1 serving = 100 gms raw. Try various forms like detox water, salads, soups, juices and boiled, stewed, or grilled veggies. You will find some interesting recipes on dietburrp.
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Non-vegetarians have the added benefit of including omega 3 rich fish in the diet. The best catch is a low-fat, not fried fish (salmon, tuna, or sardine) up to 1 serving (100 gms) daily. Fish oil not only reduces inflammation caused by hypothyroidism but also improves cognitive health and builds immunity.
One of the best remedies is to use iodized salt in the diet. Iodized salt has almost 30 % daily required iodine per gram of salt.
Goitrogens are the foods that hinder the thyroid gland activity and absorption of iodine from the blood.
Heating or cooking destroys the goitrogenic property of these foods. Thus, seldom use of these foods in cooked form is not harmful to the body.
High-calorie foods, refined and processed foods, desserts, and chocolates reduce the iodine absorption from thyroid medicines. This further damages the thyroid gland function. Such foods also aggravate the major side effect of weight gain.
Overconsumption of tea coffee or alcohol interferes with the effective functioning of the thyroid gland.
Early Morning – 1 glass of warm water with lemon + your thyroid medicine.
Breakfast: 1 Cup Oats upma OR 2 egg white omelets with lots of capsicum OR Vermicilly upama with veggies -1 bowl.
+ Ginger and lemon tea ( do not add milk) – 1 cup
Mid-Morning: 1 medium-sized Orange / Green or red Apple / 1 cup Grapefruit / 1 cup watermelon.
Lunch: 1 cup Salad (excluding cruciferous vegetables),
+ 1 Cup brown rice / broken wheat daliya / 2 small phulka ( fatless ),
+ Vegetable 1 Cup,
+ 1 Cup Dal,
+ 1 cup curd or 50 gms Fish (not fried) or 50 gms chicken.
Post Lunch: 1 glass buttermilk / 1 cup green tea + 15 mins walking.
Evening snack: 1 cup green tea + 2 – 3 walnuts or brazil nuts.
Late evening: 1 cup vegetable soup (not strained) OR Bone Broth – 1 cup.
Dinner: 1 cup Salad (excluding cruciferous vegetables),
+ 2 fatless jowari roti or 2 thalipeeth ( Mix Flour roti ),
+ 1 Cup cooked bottle gourd / ridge gourd / carrot vegetable,
+ 1 cup curd.
Post Dinner: 1 cup warm water with lemon + 15 mins walking.
Bed Time – 1 cup Turmeric tea ( Boil water, add 1 full tsp of turmeric in it, 1/4 th tsp black pepper powder, and 1/4th tsp virgin coconut oil. ) This turmeric tea is excellent to activate your thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone. Regular intake can also help you get rid of the medicines if you are newly detected.
This sample Indian diet plan for hypothyroidism will help you take your first step towards weight loss and health. After following this diet for a month, you can move on to change your diet plan to further lose weight.
Thus, it is important to increase awareness about this disorder among people. The key is to understand that diet also plays a vital role along with medications and exercise. With little modification in the diet, one can achieve the metabolic balance in the body for optimum functioning. I hope this Indian diet plan for hypothyroidism helps you in losing weight and attaining your health goal.
This post was Last Updated on August 19, 2021
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View Comments
Sir mera TSA 93.30 h Or T3 1.17 h Or T4 4.70 h...age 26 yr h Or weight 55 kg h...1 year ho gya sadi ka.....pregent kaise honge...
Hm kya kre.... Kaise isko normal kre...or PCOD v h... Whole day diet plan btayeye...
aapne youtube oer jis video pe comment kiya he , ussi video me batayi gai tips follow kerne se aapko rahet milegi
Hi Mam,
I have hypothyroidism from past 5 years and for 4years I used 12.5mcg from the start the result is normal and started using thyroxine 25mcg from past 1year. Recently unwanted hair started under the chin just like 2 or 3 hairs. And recently I can see few more hairs growingup under the chin. I am literally very much worried. Please do advise me what should I do in this situation.
Also my hair is being thin from many years. What should i do for the volume and density hair.
Regards,
Sri
this is due to hormones. what is your age? Are your cycles regular? is the bleeding usual / normal ? all these factors will help you to determine if its just the thyroid malfunction or any other hormonal imalance.
Hii
My TSH level is 9.51 lu/ml and i am 26 yrs old weight in 85 and height is 5'5".. I am under thyroid medication thyrox75.. I want to plan my diet chart to reduce weight.. I do exercise for 20 min... what should i eat to reduce atlst 3 kg per month..
I need help and i will be thankfull ❤
Hi Nishi ,
1] increase your workout to a minimum of 45 mins . and follow the diet plan mentioned above .. it will help a lot.
Cant I do Intermittent fasting as I do have hypothyroid.
Or I have to follow your diet plan of 6 meals.
Then about insulin being released after taking every meal.
Hi Radhika,
see basically eating only 2 meals can slow down your already low metabolism . However , if you are below 35 years of age , then you can try giving a shot to intermittent fasting ... follow it for 10 days , and you will know if it is helping you in terms of weight loss ... then based on results you can decide if you wish to continue that or get to 5-6 meals patterns.
hiii maam my name is akshita i am suffering from hypothyrodisom please advised my which type of food that can be eaaten or not.
All details are mentioned in the article and the video .
Hi I was diagnosed with Papiliary thyroid cancer. In April 2020 I had Thyroidectomy. Now I my weight is 60 kg. I want to loose weight. I do hath yoga for 1 hour, but in my diet Iam very confused which food should I eat or which not and how much quantity. No idea about that?
I m taking thyroxine 88 mcg daily
I really need help. Thank you
Hi Dakshata,
The diet plan menioned in the article / video above will help you .. you can follow the same.
hiii maam my name is akshita i am suffering from hypothyrodisom please advised my which type of food that can be eaaten or not.
Hello Mam.
Is it necessary to consume medicine in hypothyroidism? I am 26yrs old and I don't want to consume a med for a lifetime. Please guide.
it depends on your Thyroid profile .. if they are border line , you can follow this - Thyroid remedies - https://youtu.be/2_6sP6gBEHU but if they are very high, its wise to take medicine, bring the levels down and parallel work on lifestyle , diet and workout
Hi i am looking for complete diet plan for for thyroid and pcod.. The above one is only one day sample if you could help me with month or atleast week plan that would be helpfull
https://www.dietburrp.com/diet-services/
Hello Dr. Payal,
I am 29 years old and have been diagnosed with Autoimmune thyroiditis leading to Hypothyroidism in June 2020. I have started taking Thyronorm 50 mcg daily. My endocrinologist says that diet cannot help reverse this disorder as once TPO positive, one will remain positive. On the contrary I have found some research on people able to reverse hypothyroidism with specific diet alone. Is it possible or taking medication lifelong is the only solution ?
What is your take on gluten-free diet ?
Hi Shraddha ,
In case of auto immune thyroiditis, its best to go for gluten free diet. whether you can correct it with diet alone is difficult to say in auto immune disorder coz it is physiological . hence it will depend on prognosis .. however, diet will definitely help you in managing it well.
Hi,
I have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism (TSH 6). I am 20 and I weigh 84 kgs, I need to go back to being 64 kgs according to the doctor. I have been on a few diets and exercise for 30 mins daily, but I am unable to shed any weight. Please guide me.
you can use the plan in thearticle or check our consultation programs.