RAW BROCCOLI… HEALTHY OR NOT?

(please, take a moment and read if you have a thyroid dysfunction... or not)

what do broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy have in common? 

they're all members of the cruciferous, or cabbage, family of vegetables. one of the main reasons to eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables is that they may help to lower your risk of getting cancer. but if you consume them raw, they suppress the thyroid. 

foods containing chemicals that block the production of thyroid hormone are called goitrogenic foods. among these you can find broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rutabaga, turnip, radiche, soybean and soy product, milk and dairy products, refined sugar, sea vegetables, gluten (!)… 

goitrogens present in small amounts: peaches, peanuts, pine nuts, millet, peaches, strawberries, spinach, cassava root, pears, sweet potatoes..

in low amounts, the chemicals in broccoli and other crucifers inhibit the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. this effect can be overcome by an increased dietary intake of iodine. i

in high amounts, however, these chemicals inhibit the incorporation of iodine into thyroid hormone. in this case, dietary iodine cannot overcome the effect of very large amounts of crucifers.

cooking does appear to help inactivate these chemicals present in food.

casein in cow’s milk usually causes problems to people with thyroid dysfunction. in fact, casein in cow's milk is 300% more concentrated than that in mother's milk. in this case, cooking or boiling the milk won’t do any good. when cow's milk is pasteurized or cooked by boiling, the casein is changed still worse than in its raw state.

if you have a thyroid dysfunction also limit your caffeine intake. caffeine in conjunction with a lack of iodine promotes the formation of some thyroid cancers.

so, in most cases it is wise to eat these foods cooked. if you have a thyroid dysfunction, you should totally avoid them, though.

but what about fruit? well, fruit fortunately contains small amounts of these chemicals so it’s safe when consumed in limited amounts even for individuals with thyroid issues. jams and preserves are safe, though, because the fruit is cooked.

#goitrogens #thyroiddisfunction #hypothyroidism #rawbroccoli

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