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Foods Good And Bad For A Thyroid Tumor

The foods should eat and avoid is the information that patients have thyroid tumors and family members are extremely interested in, with the desire to find a solution to support the treatment process except taking prescription drugs.

A reasonable diet plan plays a very important role in helping patients fight off thyroid disease. So, let's find out the extremely useful information with Diag below!

Learn About Thyroid Tumor

What foods to eat if you have a thyroid tumor? To know more about what a thyroid tumor patient should eat, we need to identify the condition.

About thyroid tumors, including two types, are benign tumors and malignant tumors. Currently, the proportion of thyroid tumors is quite high, up to about 50%, encountered in postmenopausal women over 60 years old, of which malignant tumors accounted for 5%.

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Thyroid tumors account for a high proportion of all endocrine cancers

Malignant thyroid tumors, also known as thyroid cancer, account for about 1% of all cancers, but it is the disease that accounts for the highest proportion of all endocrine cancers.

If the patient has a good prognosis and is detected in an early stage thanks to thyroid cancer screening, the disease can be completely cured.

Because there are many types of thyroid disease such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroid tumor, thyroid disorder, goiter … all have similar symptoms such as a feeling of difficulty swallowing, neck pain. … so in order to know the exact condition, the patient needs to see an oncologist have a thyroid test, help make an accurate diagnosis, from which to have the most appropriate nutrition.

What A Thyroid Tumor Patient Should Eat?

What a thyroid tumor should eat is a matter of concern for many patients. Here are the food groups that are beneficial for people with thyroid cancer, helping to support the treatment process, which are recommended by experts to fully add to the diet.

Iodine

Iodine is essential for the thyroid, experts say. Thanks to Iodine, it helps balance thyroid hormones, stimulates the production of necessary hormones, and reduces the formation of thyroid tumors.

Therefore, in the daily menu of people with thyroid cancer, iodine should be supplemented at a reasonable level. Some foods contain abundant iodine such as salt, seaweed.

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Seaweed contains a plentiful amount of iodine, which is good for people with thyroid tumors

However, it should be noted that, for patients undergoing radioactive iodine therapy and other methods, how appropriate iodine supplementation is, consult the treating doctor. For the most detailed instructions because each case will have the different adjustments of salt content each day.

In the case of iodine overuse, it can cause overactive thyroid problems such as inflammation of the thyroid gland that worsen the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, patients need to control the amount of iodine in the body well each day.

Green vegetables

What should a thyroid tumor eat? The important foods to add to the diet of people with thyroid cancer are green leafy vegetables.

These are foods rich in magnesium and minerals, providing excellent nutrients, promoting a more efficient metabolism, especially in the thyroid gland.

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Should supplement the diet of people with thyroid cancer dark green vegetables

Patients should add dark-colored vegetables such as spinach, fish lettuce, spinach, water spinach … is the first choice in the patient's meal.

Thanks to the addition of dark vegetables, the symptoms of muscle pain, fatigue, and irregular heartbeat will be improved as the body receives enough magnesium.

Berry

Among the typical berries such as strawberries, tomatoes, raspberries, grapes, bananas … are fruits rich in antioxidants and low in sugar, which will help support thyroid function. and combats harmful agents that cause thyroid problems.

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What should thyroid tumors eat to support the treatment process?

Besides, thanks to the beneficial nutrients in berries, it will help increase resistance, keep the body healthy, and fight off disease.

Nuts

Not only green vegetables, but typical nuts such as almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds … are also great sources of magnesium for the body. At the same time, these nuts are rich in plant protein, vitamin B, vitamin E, and other minerals that will help support the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Seafood

For patients with thyroid tumors, seafood is the best food to add to the menu.

Thanks to seafood such as shrimp, crab, and fish … not only provide energy to keep the body healthy, but they also contain many minerals good for the thyroid such as iodine, zinc, omega-3, vitamin A, B vitamins, selenium.

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Seafood contains many nutrients that are beneficial for people with thyroid cancer

In particular, the fish family contains a lot of lean protein, amino acids, magnesium and B vitamins that are extremely good for patients on thyroid treatment.

Patients should always eat seafood group sessions from 3 meals a week. Naturally caught seafood, fatty fish such as mackerel, tuna, and herring should be given priority to add omega-3 to the body.

Organic Meat

Organic meat is also good food for patients with a thyroid tumor. Thanks to standard breeding, production, no use of chemicals, brings high safety for users. Especially chicken breast, this is the meat that contains a lot of protein, making the muscle system stronger.

However, patients should limit eating animal organs because the lipoic acid content is quite high, which will affect some thyroid drugs during treatment. If you eat too much, the risk of disruption of the thyroid gland is very high.

Egg

Eggs contain many healthy nutrients and this is also a beneficial food that people with thyroid cancer can eat.

Egg whites contain a lot of fat and calories, while egg yolks contain abundant iodine and selenium to help protect the thyroid and supplement nutrients for patients.

But in order to maximize the nutrient content of eggs, boiled eggs are the simplest and most effective way of processing compared to eating fried eggs.

What Food Should I Avoid With Thyroid Tumor?

What food should I avoid with a thyroid tumor? For thyroid cancer and thyroid tumor, to support well the treatment process, patients also need to understand the bad foods to avoid the symptoms of more serious disease as follows:

Cruciferous Vegetables

Although dark green vegetables are good for patients with thyroid disease. However, patients should abstain from cruciferous vegetables such as kale, turnip, Brussels sprouts, broccoli … because these vegetables contain a lot of Isothiocyanates.

When too many Isothiocyanates are loaded into the body, it will interfere with the functioning of the pituitary gland, limit iodine absorption, especially when eaten raw. Therefore, if you eat these vegetables, the sick person should boil them to remove the above substances.

Non-Fermented Soy Products

Many studies have shown that soy products such as tofu and soy milk contain a number of compounds that interfere with the ability to regenerate hormones in the thyroid gland.

But in the case of using typically fermented soybeans such as tempeh or miso, it is good for people with thyroid disease.

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Unfermented soy products are not good for people with thyroid tumors

Unfermented soybeans will decrease the body's absorption of iodine. If the patient has a hormone imbalance or thyroid disorder, it is necessary to limit soy or even not eat. For more information, patients can consult their doctor about their case.

Canned Foods

Processed foods are the "enemies" of people with thyroid disease. The reason is that these foods contain empty calories, soybeans, and some unhealthy additives.

At the same time, fast and processed foods also contain a high amount of fat, causing the production of thyroxin in the thyroid to slow down, more serious, and may cause the ineffectiveness of some medicines for treatment.

Gluten-Containing Foods

In barley, wheat, rye, gluten is abundant. When too much of this substance is loaded into the body, it will affect the digestive system, especially the intestinal tract.

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What food should I avoid with a thyroid tumor?

The most common gluten-containing products are cookies, cakes, bread, and some vegetarian dishes … There are some people who eat these foods who often experience symptoms of bloating, indigestion, abdominal pain.

Because gluten has the ability to induce automatic immune responses, the risk of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism increases. So, a gluten-free diet is an issue for people with thyroid disease to keep in mind, and for those who want to prevent the risk.

Limit Too Much Fiber and Sugar

Although fiber is very beneficial for the digestive tract, it should only be maintained at a reasonable level when suffering from thyroid disease. Because when consuming too much fiber will make the body's absorption of drugs ineffective.

However, patients should not completely eliminate foods containing fiber, but need to eat at a sufficient level. Even sugar or sweeteners are the same.

Because when the thyroid is impaired, the conversion of sugar into energy will also affect, making it easier for the patient to gain weight, and also affects the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Besides, there are some small notes such as:

• Do not take medications for hypothyroidism at the same time as calcium-rich foods such as milk or dairy products, or calcium pills. As this will lead to a deterioration of the effect of the drug. Ideally, thyroid medication and milk should be separated from each other.

• Stimulants, coffee, some caffeinated drinks are also responsible for reducing the effect of thyroid medications. For thyroid medicine, it should be taken on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning 1 hour before breakfast.

• When in doubt, patients should consult their doctor for the most specific advice on nutrition, care, and appropriate drug use.

Hopefully, through this article, you know the answer to the question of what thyroid tumors should eat, what is the best diet for the treatment process. Reasonable nutrition, balanced group of substances alternately will help patients have good health to fight off disease.

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The site cannot and does not contain medical advice. The medical information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals.