Swiss Chard ~ A Good Choice

May 19, 2014 / Nutrition / Source: Nutrition

If you suffer from hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Disease you have probably heard that you should avoid or limit goitrogenic foods.  Unfortunately, many of the goitrogenic foods also provide rich nutrients that our bodies need.  So, today I wanted to discuss one particular goitrogenic food that is labeled as a nutritional powerhouse…kale.

Fortunately, after doing a little research, I have learned that when you steam or cook kale or other goitrogenic cruciferous vegetables the negative effect is greatly reduced.  So, it does not appear that kale has to totally be cut from our diets, but they do suggest we limit our intake and steam or cook it.  However, if you like to eat green leafy vegetables on a daily basis, I have discovered that Swiss chard is not only listed as a non-goitrogenic food, but it has many of the same vitamins and minerals as kale.  The percentage of vitamins A and C appears to be a little lower in Swiss chard, but it is higher than kale in other nutrients.  Plus, if needed, you can add foods that are high in these vitamins (e.g., carrots, bell peppers) to your salad to make up for the lower levels.

So, I guess my message is this…before you give up and think that it is useless to try to eat healthy when you are trying to avoid these healthy goitrogenic foods, remember that you have options.  It may take a little research on your part or learning to be creative with your veggies, but it is doable…and worth it.  Hypothyroidsm is not always easy, so it is important for us to take every step that we can to combat it AND never give up! 

I hope that you found this blog post helpful because my goal is to share what I have learned with others so that we can all benefit.   Hope you have a blessed day! 

For more information: Kale Competitors: How Do Other Greens Stack Up?