As with any chronic condition, hypothyroidism may require medication to relieve symptoms and prevent future complications. But diet and lifestyle choices can also improve your health and well-being.
“Since hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease, diet alone probably won’t cause hypothyroidism, but it plays a big role once someone is diagnosed,” says Natalie Rizzo, RD, who is based in New York City.
Hypothyroidism (also called low thyroid or underactive thyroid) happens when your thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormones. Your thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland located at the bottom-front of your neck.
This gland affects the body’s metabolic processes, which in turn can affect heart rate, body temperature, weight, and even mood.
“Making sure you eat a healthy diet is vital,” Rizzo says.
Similarly, exercise can complement your hypothyroidism treatment plan by helping you manage stress, reduce symptoms of depression (which can sometimes be associated with unmanaged hypothyroidism), and potentially increase production of important thyroid hormones.
Here are the best and worst foods for hypothyroidism, as well as some ways lifestyle changes can help you manage the disease.
8 Ways to Stay Energized When You Have Hypothyroidism
Discover ways to combat fatigue caused by hypothyroidism.
Next up video playing in 10 seconds
What to Eat if You’re Managing Hypothyroidism
“There is no one food that will increase your thyroid hormone, but there are foods that a person with hypothyroidism should eat more of,” Rizzo says.
When you research the best foods for hypothyroidism, you probably won’t find many surprising selections. Most lists reflect a nutrient-dense, unprocessed diet typically recommended for most people. But some vitamins and nutrients are particularly important for thyroid health.
Here at the big nutrients and vitamins for thyroid health:
Iodine
While iodine deficiency is relatively rare in the United States because of the country’s mandated “salt iodization” legislation, people in countries without foods fortified with iodine may need to up their intake.
Megan Casper, RDN, a dietitian based in New York City, points out that iodine deficiency is the leading cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. This mineral can’t be made by the body, so dietary sources like iodized salt, dairy products, seafood, seaweed, and fortified cereals are important.
“Iodine is an essential nutrient in the body, and thyroid hormones are composed of iodine,” says Rizzo. “Those lacking thyroid hormones may also be lacking iodine.”
The recommended daily amount of iodine is 150 micrograms (mcg) — less than half the amount in 1 teaspoon (tsp) of iodized salt.
If you and your doctor have determined you’re getting enough iodine, don’t supplement your diet, because this could worsen your condition.
Tyrosine
As with iodine, you’ll want to talk with a doctor to see if you would benefit from eating more foods with tyrosine or taking a supplement. That’s because this amino acid has the potential to interact with hypothyroidism medication.
But, considering its role, you will want to make sure you’re getting enough of the amino acid: Together with iodine, tyrosine makes the thyroid hormone.
Foods with tyrosine include:
Seaweed
Turkey
Eggs
Cottage cheese
Vitamin D
“Most people with hypothyroidism are deficient in vitamin D, but the mechanism for this is unknown,” Rizzo says.
Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies are known to help fight disease, but having hypothyroidism means you have another reason to load up on these superfoods.
These foods fight oxidative stress, a state of increased inflammation that’s associated with hypothyroidism and other chronic diseases.
To get your fix of antioxidants, reach for:
Berries
Nuts
Seeds
Dark-green leafy veggies, such as spinach and kale
Selenium
“The highest concentration of selenium is found in the thyroid gland, and it’s vital to the enzymes that help the thyroid function,” Rizzo says. “Many people with hypothyroidism may be lacking in this important nutrient, which has a large effect on the immune system, cognitive function, and fertility.”
Valuable sources of selenium include:
Seafood
Eggs
Seeds
Brazil nuts
If you’re taking a supplement, keep in mind that the upper limit for adults is around 400 micrograms mcg but some say to stick to under 255 mcg. Work with a healthcare professional to find the right amount for you.
Vitamin B12
“Many people with hypothyroidism suffer from B12 deficiency, but the mechanism for this is also unknown,” Rizzo says.
There are plenty of ways to load up on vitamin B12:
Poultry
Fish
Meat
You may be at risk of deficiency if you follow a vegan diet, so consider talking with your doctor about supplementation.
Foods That May Worsen Hypothyroidism Symptoms
While certain nutrients are beneficial to thyroid health, others can interfere with thyroid function. Below are some of the foods you should be mindful of if you’re living with an underactive thyroid.
Foods With Excess Sodium
People with hypothyroidism have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, and many processed foods (those found in the frozen-food aisle, plus french fries, potato chips, and the like) can contribute to high blood pressure because of their high salt content.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have a salty snack every now and then — just stick with the American Heart Association’s recommendation for daily sodium intake: ideally a max of 1,500 milligrams.
Soy
Rizzo says some healthcare professionals recommend cutting soy altogether, but often it’s safe to consume in small amounts. In fact, foods with soy — like soy milk, edamame, soybean flour, and miso — may even help slightly lower your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels, thereby improving your heart health.
If you’re managing hypothyroidism, avoid eating soy around the time you take your synthetic thyroid replacement (the most common hypothyroidism treatment). Mayo Clinic recommends waiting four hours after taking your medication before consuming soy.
Walnuts, Cottonseed Meal, and Other Foods and Supplements
Other foods can interact with your synthetic thyroid medications, so you shouldn’t eat these in the mornings when you take your medication. In addition to soy, these include:
Walnuts
Cottonseed meal
Iron supplements or multivitamins with iron
Calcium supplements
Also, be mindful of taking antacids with magnesium or aluminum, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and some ulcer medications, as these may affect the absorption of your synthetic thyroid replacement.
Lifestyle Tips to Better Manage Hypothyroidism
Embracing healthy lifestyle choices is another way to improve hypothyroidism symptoms, which can include sluggishness, depression, and slowed metabolism.
While each person has unique lifestyle needs, some healthy habits are beneficial for most people. These include:
Stress management (like practicing mindfulness)
Getting quality sleep (seven to nine hours)
Engaging in regular exercise
Experts suggest exercising at least 150 minutes per week. When getting into an exercise routine, it can be helpful to start with low-impact, energy-boosting movements, such as tai chi, yoga, and pilates.
Research has found that regular aerobic exercise, alongside medical treatment, improves thyroid function by increasing T4 levels, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland.
The Takeaway
Eating foods rich in iodine, tyrosine, vitamin D, antioxidants, selenium, and vitamin B12 can support thyroid health and manage symptoms.
Certain foods and supplements should be consumed with caution due to potential medication interactions.
Managing stress through practices like meditation or yoga and engaging in regular exercise are vital for improving overall well-being and relieving symptoms associated with hypothyroidism.
Diet and lifestyle modifications are effective complementary strategies to medical treatment for hypothyroidism, but they do not cure the condition or replace prescribed medications.
While smart diet and lifestyle choices can help manage hypothyroidism, they cannot cure the condition or replace medication.
What are some foods that are beneficial for hypothyroidism?
Foods that contain iodine (iodized salt, dairy products, seafood, seaweed, fortified cereals), tyrosine (seaweed, turkey, eggs), vitamin D (eggs, fatty fish), antioxidants (berries and dark leafy greens), selenium (seafood, eggs, seeds, nuts), and vitamin B12 (poultry, fish, meat) are beneficial for hypothyroidism.
Are uncooked cruciferous vegetables harmful for hypothyroidism?
Cruciferous vegetables release a compound called goitrin, which can interfere with the synthesis of thyroid hormones, but research shows that this is a problem only when accompanied by iodine deficiency, which is uncommon in the United States.
What foods should be avoided with hypothyroidism?
Foods with excess sodium, soy, walnuts, cottonseed meal, and certain supplements (iron, calcium) should be avoided or consumed with caution.
What lifestyle tips can help manage hypothyroidism?
Managing stress, exercising regularly (at least 150 minutes per week), and incorporating low-impact routines like tai chi can help manage hypothyroidism.
Sandy Bassin, MD, is an endocrinology fellow at Mount Sinai in New York City. She is passionate about incorporating lifestyle medicine and plant-based nutrition into endocrinology, particularly for diabetes and obesity management.
She trained at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, where she taught culinary medicine classes to patients and medical trainees. She continued her training at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Dr. Bassin has published reviews of nutrition education in medical training and physical activity in type 2 diabetes in Nutrition Reviews, Endocrine Practice, and the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. She has been featured on the Physician to Physician Plant-Based Nutrition podcast and given many presentations on lifestyle interventions in endocrine disorders.
She stays active through yoga and gardening, and loves to cook and be outdoors.
Kristeen Cherney, PhD, is a freelance writer, essayist, author, and poet with more than 15 years of health writing experience for digital platforms such as Healthline, The Mighty, and LiveStrong. She’s covered nutrition, women’s and children’s wellness issues, as well as specialized topics ranging from diabetes and thyroid disease to anxiety, depression, asthma, allergies, and skin conditions.
With a doctorate in English (rhetoric and composition), Dr. Cherney focuses her academic scholarship on the intersection between disability and literacy. She also holds a Master of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in communication.
Cherney has contributed to the books The Wiley Handbook on Violence in Education: Forms, Factors, and Preventions, Composing in Four Acts: Readings for Writers, and Georgia State University's Guide to First-Year Writing, as well as to scholarly journals like Praxis, the Journal of Teaching Writing, and the Journal of Dracula Studies.
Cherney enjoys running, meditating, hiking, and paddleboarding.
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Habiba Sundus H et al. Effect of long-term exercise-based interventions on thyroid function in hypothyroidism: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. September 2025.
