Selenium is a mineral that is important for optimal thyroid health. It is only obtained through food and supplementation. Soil contains selenium, which plants absorb and then animals obtain it by eating the plants. Unfortunately, soil quality varies and isn’t always as rich in nutrients as it used to be due to things like poor farming practices. This results in the need to make an effort to get the proper amounts of nutrients required by the body for optimal health.
The thyroid needs selenium to produce thyroid hormones. The thyroid hormones T3 and T4 contain iodine. Iodine requires selenium in order for the thyroid hormones to be produced.
A high source of selenium can be found in brazil nuts. One or two brazil nuts per day is all you need. It is possible to get too much selenium, so don’t eat brazil nuts by the handful, just a 1 or 2 a day is all that’s needed.
Some other sources of selenium include:
Seafood, such as shrimp, sardines, salmon, halibut, and tuna
Meats like beef steak, beef liver, ground beef, and ham
Poultry
Eggs
Breads
Cereals
Grains
There are many factors that influence thyroid function, but ensuring you get enough selenium is a key factor in improving thyroid health.
Challenge:
If you eat nuts, try eating 1 – 2 brazil nuts per day. Make sure they are raw and not coated in seed oil. I like the Nut Cravings brand available on Amazon.
A non-nut food with the highest amount of selenium is fish or meats like ham, pork, beef, turkey and chicken. Eggs and sunflower seeds are also good alternative snack ideas.
Resources:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/selenium-and-your-thyroid-4134998
https://www.healthline.com/health/selenium-foods
https://journals.viamedica.pl/endokrynologia_polska/article/view/EP.2017.0051/43511
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/