Find out at ruut.de why the Paleo diet and cassava flour are beneficial for this disease - we give tips.
Table of contents:
- What is Hashimoto's and how does it occur?
- Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Paleo Diet
- What foods can I not eat if I have Hashimoto’s?
- What foods should I eat if I have Hashimoto's?
- The Hashimoto nutrition plan without sacrifice thanks to cassava flour
- Hashimoto's diet: recipes to follow
- The Hashimoto Nutrition Chart
- frequently asked Questions
What is Hashimoto's and how does it occur?
Hashimoto's is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid caused by the body's immune system. Women between the ages of 30 and 50 are particularly affected by this autoimmune disease.
The symptoms often accompany the onset of menopause. The inflammation of the thyroid gland and its symptoms are often incorrectly equated with menopausal symptoms. However, it has been proven that the tendency to Hashimoto's is often already in the genes. Although the disease is not traditionally passed on, relatives of those affected are more susceptible than the average population.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis , as the disease is completely and correctly called, unfortunately very rarely resolves spontaneously. It more often results in the need for lifelong use of thyroid hormones. At the beginning of the disease, the typical symptoms of hyperthyroidism can often occur. These include weight loss, hair loss, sweating and muscle weakness.
As the disease progresses, the picture often reverses. Hypothyroidism begins (= lack of thyroid hormones) with opposite symptoms. These include lack of drive, weight gain, hoarseness, memory problems and fatigue. However, these effects can be kept in check with a certain nutritional concept, with special foods for Hashimoto's.
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Paleo Diet
On the contrary, with the correct and permanent change in diet to, for example, the Paleo principle, the body is optimally supplied with nutrients and the fitness that may have been acquired and existing is maintained. However, it is important to initially avoid special foods completely, if possible.
What foods can I not eat if I have Hashimoto’s?
These include, among others:
- sugary drinks and foods
- Grains (e.g. all white flour products)
- soy
- fried foods
- fatty meat
- tomatoes
- paprika
- Potatoes (sweet potatoes are expressly “allowed”)
- eggplant
- legumes
- Dairy products
Especially with Hashimoto's, a consistently wheat-free diet can lead to fewer symptoms and thus a better quality of life: Wheat contains the gluten protein, to which many Hashimoto sufferers react with intolerance (= digestive problems). Unfortunately, there are hardly any foods left that do not contain this grain: for example, it is found in conventional bread, rolls, pasta, cakes, cookies, pizza, etc.
Intestinal problems, allergies and skin blemishes are often the side effects of consuming dairy products if there is lactose intolerance/milk protein intolerance , which is often the case with Hashimoto's, as it is a disease of the immune system. If you leave out milk etc., you often get immediate relief.
Foods such as nightshades (e.g. potatoes, peppers, eggplants) should also be avoided if you have Hashimoto's, as their compounds, lectins and alkaloids, bind to the intestines, cause digestive problems and can cause persistent inflammation. It is also important to remove tomatoes from the menu because they obviously contribute to inflammation - a finding from the treatment of joint pain and rheumatism.
What foods should I eat if I have Hashimoto's?
But how should you eat if the three nutritional pillars of grain (wheat), dairy products and sugar are no longer available? What else can those affected eat?
In order to provide the body with sufficient nutrients, it is best to mainly consume the following foods:
- low-sugar fruits and vegetables
- Berry
- Organic fish/meat, other animal products
- nuts
- Roots and tuber vegetables
- Seeds
All of these are products that our ancient ancestors ate (exclusively): These foods, which were available in the Stone Age, form the basis of the Paleo diet, also known as the “Stone Age diet”. This is a largely natural diet that is based on the presumably original diet of hunters and gatherers. As mentioned, these include meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits and nuts.
Why is the Hashimoto diet plan also called the Stone Age diet?
The idea behind it: Our organism has been adapted to this type of food for 2.5 million years , so digestibility and utilization are no longer problems. Consequently, the Stone Age diet completely avoids foods such as grains, legumes, sugar, milk or dairy products . Foods made from grains, such as bread or pasta (wheat), are particularly taboo. It is also important, if possible, to avoid all industrially processed foods , as these were not available to our ancestors from the Paleolithic period.
The advantage of the Paleo diet is that the body is supplied with nutrients that it can process perfectly: fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, as well as both containing a lot of fiber and minerals. Meat, fish and eggs not only provide high-quality protein, but also the all-important trace elements and vitamins.
The Hashimoto nutrition plan without sacrifice thanks to cassava flour
It is precisely this nutritional concept that ensures the optimal selection of food for Hashimoto. As an alternative to grain flour, flour made from the cassava fruit is recommended. This product is completely gluten-free and is full of fiber and energy. That's why we have cassava flour and baking mixes for pizza , waffles & pancakes as well as bread & rolls for you in our shop.
The cassava root is reminiscent of our potato and also has a similarly high proportion of starch. The gluten-free cassava flour alone has 77 grams of starch per 100 grams of flour. The taste is described in different ways - some find it rather neutral, others are impressed by its light sweetness. However, everyone agrees that Hashimoto's foods or dishes made from cassava flour are very versatile, tasty and varied.
It's not just the nutrition plan that makes the difference
Incidentally, Paleo not only includes the diet described above, but your own lifestyle should also be considered in this context: getting eight hours of sleep every day for a healthy immune system is as important as getting plenty of exercise in the fresh air and reducing stress with appropriate exercises , meditation and a lot of mindfulness for yourself and your surroundings additionally support the positive effects of Stone Age nutrition. You can find out more about a healthy and balanced lifestyle on the website of our partner flowGrade .
Hashimoto's diet: recipes to follow
If you change your diet and include cassava flour in your diet, you won't have to miss out on so many dishes. Feel free to take a look around our world of recipes. We divide them into savory , sweet and bread etc.
Alternatively, you can find gluten-free recipes from our partner or a large selection at Paleo 360° .
The Hashimoto Nutrition Chart
Do not eat |
Eat |
sugary drinks and foods |
low-sugar fruits and vegetables |
Grains (e.g. all white flour products) |
Berry |
soy |
Organic quality fish/meat |
fried foods |
lean animal products |
fatty meat |
nuts |
tomatoes |
root vegetable |
paprika |
Tuber vegetables |
Potatoes (sweet potatoes are expressly “allowed”) |
Seeds |
eggplant |
|
legumes |
|
Dairy products |
frequently asked Questions
Here we answer frequently asked questions about food at Hashimoto .
Which milk for Hashimoto's?
We recommend lactose-free milk or plant-based alternatives, as dairy products should be avoided due to the associated lactose intolerance.
Which bread for Hashimoto?
You can eat grain-free bread. We therefore recommend our bread baking mix made from cassava flour . Alternatively, you can also bake with our cassava flour . Please take a look at our recipes for bread and rolls .
Which vegetables for Hashimoto's?
The vegetables should always be low in sugar. You can eat root and tuber vegetables. Nightshade plants such as peppers, tomatoes, potatoes etc. should be avoided.
Which salt for Hashimoto's?
Iodized salt is important because iodine intake is extremely important for the thyroid. Make sure you use iodized table salt.
Do you have any further questions? About useful foods for Hashimoto’s? Or specifically about the Paleo diet? Then use our email address info@ruut.de . We look forward to contacting you.