If you have a disease like hypothyroidism, your diet is critical to your overall health.
Hypothyroidism may impair your metabolism, and the drugs you need to treat it may interact negatively with certain meals.
Learn if almond milk is helpful for hypothyroidism or whether you need switch to another plant-based milk to stay healthy.
Almond Milk and Hypothyroidism: An Overview
Because your thyroid interacts with specific foods and the medicine used to treat hypothyroidism, it’s important to know whether almond milk is helpful or harmful for hypothyroidism before you consume it.
On the one hand, Almond milk includes ingredients that may help increase thyroid function and keep your thyroid healthy.
But there’s also a downside.
Almonds are considered goitrogens.
Goitrogens are foods that may interfere with iodine absorption and cause hypothyroidism by disrupting thyroid function.
So the issue is if almond milk, which is prepared from water and almonds, has the same impact.
Let’s look at the potential advantages of almond milk for hypothyroidism and why you may want to switch to a different beverage.
Potential Benefits of Almond Milk For Hypothyroidism
Almond milk may help persons with hypothyroidism for a variety of reasons.
Offers a Dairy-Free Alternative
Due to stomach difficulties, many persons with hypothyroidism avoid dairy products.
Lactose intolerance, a disease in which your body is unable to break down the sugar lactose found in dairy milk, is a common cause of digestive difficulties.
If you have lactose sensitivity, switching to plant-based milk, such as almond milk, may improve your general health and thyroid function.
According to certain research, cow’s milk includes several sorts of naturally occurring hormones that might impact your body’s hormone processes.
These hormones include:
- Prolactin
- Corticosteroid
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1)
- Progesterone
Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder that affects how your body generates and distributes hormones.
If you have an underactive thyroid, drinking cow’s milk may have a deleterious impact on your already dysregulated endocrine system.
Alternatively, Because almond milk is derived from a plant rather than an animal, it does not contain hormones and so does not induce hormone dysregulation in the same manner.
Provides Several Nutrients
Almond milk has a variety of nutrients that might benefit your health if you have hypothyroidism.
The nutritional composition of each brand varies, however one cup of almond milk typically contains:
|
Almond Milk Nutrition Facts |
|
|---|---|
|
Calories |
39 |
|
Protein |
1g |
|
Fat |
3g |
|
Carbohydrates |
4g |
|
Fiber |
1g |
|
Sugar |
2g |
|
Calcium |
184mg |
|
Potassium |
67mg |
|
Vitamin D |
41 IU |
|
Vitamin E |
6.33mg |
Vitamin D is a substance that may help enhance your mood and is sometimes deficient in hypothyroid patients.
Some almond milk has additional B vitamins, which are necessary for thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism, both of which are impaired by the illness.
People with hypothyroidism may benefit from almond milk with additional iron and selenium.
Iron may help you manage hypothyroidism-related anemia, and selenium can help you manage other symptoms by lowering thyroid peroxidase antibodies.
It’s crucial to remember that not all almond milk brands have the same nutritional profile.
Elmhurst Almond Milk and New Barn Organics, for example, utilize simply almonds, water, and salt.
Because they have less additional ingredients, these brands are considered healthy.
In this regard, they may function as a “clean eating” beverage, keeping your diet free of ingredients such as carrageenan and guar gum.
However, if you are boosting your consumption of other minerals for hypothyroidism, such as calcium, Vitamin D, or iron, you may need to opt for a brand that fortifies its beverage.
Some store-bought products include nutrients that homemade or organic almond milk does not.
The trade-off is that you may consume additional additives, so study the label and determine which substances may or may not influence your condition.
To understand more about the basic advantages of almond milk, watch our Almond Milk 101 video below!
Possible Complications From Drinking Almond Milk With Hypothyroidism
Despite the potential advantages of drinking almond milk if you have hypothyroidism, there are a few major drawbacks.
The two most prevalent problems with almond milk for hypothyroidism are its goitrogenic potential and a lack of iodine.
Almonds Are Goitrogenic
Almonds, along with other Rosaceae family fruits such as cherries, pears, raspberries, and plums, are considered goitrogenic foods.
Goitrogenic causes your thyroid gland to enlarge, which is known as a goiter.
Goitrogens prevent iodine absorption in the thyroid, resulting in decreased thyroid hormone levels and swelling.
Goiters may be unattractive, and if they are too big, they can make eating, speaking, and even breathing difficult.
If you have hypothyroidism, you are already at a high risk of developing a goiter, thus it is advisable to avoid goitrogenic foods.
Almond milk, which is prepared from almonds and water, may have a harmful impact on your thyroid.
However, keep in mind that various almond milk products employ varied proportions of almonds.
The quantity of goitrogenic almond in the final beverage may be insufficient to interfere with hormone synthesis.
Almond Milk Is Typically Low in Iodine
Unless an almond milk brand has additional iodine, consuming it instead of dairy milk may drop your iodine levels even more.
Because your body already has problems using iodine if you have hypothyroidism, consuming almond milk might exacerbate an already existing issue.
Dairy milk accounts for 49% of the daily iodine consumption of the US population.
Plant-based milk, like almond milk, has just a little amount of iodine.
The effect of consuming low-iodine almond milk on hypothyroidism is dependent on the rest of your diet and the biochemical processes specific to your body.
For example, if you consume iodine-rich foods like iodized salt, tuna, shrimp, or eggs, you may be able to have almond milk without any problems.
What is Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is a disorder that impairs thyroid gland function.
The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland found in the neck.
It is in charge of producing thyroid hormones as well as maintaining iodine homeostasis in your body.
Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are thyroid hormones that influence protein synthesis and calcium balance.
Hypothyroidism occurs when your thyroid is underactive and does not create enough of these important hormones.
Weight gain, cold sensitivity, weariness, depression, and constipation are common symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism, which refers to an overactive thyroid gland, is a different but related illness.
Hyperthyroidism occurs when your thyroid produces an abnormally large amount of thyroid hormones, resulting in weight loss, heat sensitivity, diarrhea, and anxiety.
How Do You Know If You Have Hypothyroidism?
In the early phases of the illness, you may not have any symptoms.
You may eventually notice weight increase despite not overeating or feeling continuously chilly or weary.
If you do not treat your hypothyroidism, you may develop more serious symptoms such as joint discomfort, obesity, heart problems, or infertility.
The following are some more frequent symptoms of hypothyroidism:
- Heightened sensitivity to cold
- Dry skin
- Puffy face
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
- Irregular periods
- Hair loss or thinning
- Slowed heart rate
- Impaired memory
- Enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
The only way to be sure you have a thyroid disease is to see your doctor.
To provide a formal diagnosis, they might do a thyroid function test.
You may, for example, be subjected to blood tests to determine your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels. A low TSH level usually suggests hypothyroidism.
Who is At Risk For Hypothyroidism
Women over the age of 50 are the most vulnerable to hypothyroidism.
However, you may be at higher risk of getting the illness if you:
- Have a history of taking anti-thyroid medications
- Have had radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer
- Have had thyroid surgery
- Have you ever been exposed to radiation in your upper chest or neck?
- Have type 1 diabetes
- Have rheumatoid arthritis
- Suffer from an autoimmune disorder
- There is a family history of autoimmune illnesses, thyroid disease, or thyroid cancer in your family.
How Is Hypothyroidism Treated?
Synthetic thyroid hormones, such as levothyroxine, are often used to treat hypothyroidism.
Finding the proper dose, on the other hand, takes time and is influenced by your food and lifestyle.
For example, high soy intake and high-fiber diets have an effect on levothyroxine absorption.
Calcium and iron supplements might also interfere with your body’s ability to absorb hypothyroid medicines.
To prevent aggravating your condition, you must pay attention to what you eat and drink and how it affects your thyroid function and hypothyroid medication.
Is Almond Milk Good For Hypothyroidism?
The main conclusion is that, although almond milk contains minerals that help your thyroid produce critical hormones, it may also be harmful if you have hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is unique to each individual due to their metabolic composition.
Furthermore, the nutrients in almond milk vary greatly depending on the brand, additives, and even the almonds used to manufacture the product.
As with any dietary decision, you should see your doctor to determine if almond milk may be a problem for your hypothyroidism and how to determine whether it has a good or negative impact.