Hashimoto’s disease Diet: Overview, Foods and Supplements

Protein is an essential nutrient which insufficient intake can cause many problems. As one of the main nutrients, it is necessary for the proper development. It is a crucial part of our daily diet and its adequate intake is important in the diet therapy of Hashimoto’s disease. If you want to find out what role protein plays in Hashimoto’s disease and how to supplement its amount in the diet, read this article. 

Which Protein is Safe for Hashimoto’s?

Hashimoto’s disease Diet: Protein

Protein is an important nutrient that is essential for the human body to function properly. It is involved in cell growth, muscle development and many other important functions. Protein is made up of amino acids. Some of them are not produced in the organism that’s why it is important to provide them with a diet: 

• Histidine is needed for normal muscle growth.
• Isoleucine is used for proper glucose absorption.
• Leucine helps control blood sugar.
• Lysine helps with protein synthesis.
• Methionine is used to build enzymes and hormones.
• Phenylalanine builds muscle tissue.
• Threonine supports the cardiovascular, immune and muscular system.
• Tryptophan is used for normal growth in children, in adults however it is involved in regulating nitrogen balance. 
• Valine supports the growth of muscle tissue and influences its quality.

The importance of protein

If you suffer from Hashimoto’s disease it is crucial for you to provide enough protein to your body. We know that the cause of Hashimoto’s disease is thyroid disorder.

However, few people know that protein helps stimulate the thyroid to work. Thyroglobulin is a protein that stores the thyroid hormones that are produced. The proper consumption of protein supports the production of thyroid hormones and their storage in thyroglobulin. Insufficient consumption of protein and iodine in the body increases the risk of developing Hashimoto’s disease. In addition, protein is an important building block. It helps to build and reconstruct muscle mass and tissues in the body. `

Adequate amount of protein

Adequate protein intake is crucial in Hashimoto’s disease diet therapy. However, how to know what amount is adequate for us? Dietary recommendations for the general Polish population suggest that protein intake should make up 10-20%  of the total caloric value. In people with Hashimoto’s disease scientific studies show benefits of a higher amount of protein in the diet, even up to 20-25% of the total caloric intake. Protein strongly stimulates the metabolism to work and also provides the feeling of satiety after a meal, which makes the reduction easier. What’s more, it ensures the base for the formation of thyroid hormones. 

The right kind of protein 

The trick with protein is to know what kind and amount of protein to eat daily. Nature offers many kinds of protein, but it is important to know which protein you need and why. There is a distinction between complete and incomplete proteins. The former include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and pulses. The latter is mainly plant protein, cereals, nuts, vegetables and fruit. Complete proteins contain a full set of amino acids so they can be fully used for the function they play in the organism. In contrast, incomplete protein is mainly used for energy purposes, as the lack of a complete set of amino acids prevents its full utilisation. Therefore, consuming both incomplete and complete protein will increase its utilisation by the body. 

Benefits of drinking protein supplements

Protein supplements are supplements containing protein of various sources. Most of them are milk proteins, such as whey or casein. However, there are also other kinds of protein used for supplementation. These include beef protein, egg protein and vegan proteins based on soya or other legumes. 

Is it worth taking protein supplements? 

Protein supplements can be a great supplement and support to increase dietary protein intake, which we know is important for Hashimoto’s disease.  A daily portion of protein added to a smoothie supports the metabolism and synthesis of thyroid hormones. 

Summary

To sum it up, In Hashimoto’s disease diet protein is an important nutrient in the diet of people with Hashimoto’s disease. It influences many important functions, such as metabolism and hormone production, among others . And adequate consumption of protein improves the well-being of patients and positively affects the production of thyroid hormones. Protein supplements can help in this respect.  

Do you want to know how to change your diet in Hashimoto’s disease?  We will soon be able to help you with our programme ‘Step by step to remission’. We will teach you everything about the thyroid gland in an interesting, unconventional and interactive way.

What’s more we will guide you through the most important healthy lifestyle issues and habits that, when implemented together, will lead you to a significant improvement in your well-being, a reduction in inflammation and antibody titre characteristic of Hashimoto’s disease. We guarantee that this will have a beneficial effect on your quality of life and health. Don’t wait, just start changing your habits with us for the sake of your thyroid health! 🙂