If I could impart one tidbit of wisdom about thyroid health to my audience, it would be this: If you’re not getting enough protein in your diet, the deficiency can wreak havoc on your thyroid function. Made from amino acids, proteins are your body’s building blocks—fueling essential bodily functions and the production of antibodies and hormones, including thyroid hormones.
And the thyroid affects every cell in the body.
Considering how vitally important protein is for proper thyroid functioning, I wanted to spend some time discussing the best proteins for thyroid health. Through my research and personal experimentation with different kinds of proteins, I’ve found that there are two basic types of proteins to consume in order to enhance, improve, and optimize thyroid functioning.
First and foremost, don’t buy the cheapest thing at the local big-box store. Unless you’re confident that the product doesn’t contain questionable ingredients like additives and fillers that could negatively impact your health in other ways, you don’t want to buy your proteins based on price alone.
Grass-Fed Protein
This leads me to the first type of protein to include in your diet: I recommend grass-fed/grass-finished beef protein containing no antibiotics, no hormones, and no other additives as one of the best types of protein for thyroid health. This type of beef protein is available in a protein powder and should be free of common food allergens that are used as fillers, such as corn, soy, and wheat.
Vegan-Source Protein
Vegan protein powders, made from pea protein, are another source of protein I like to use. Because pea protein has a low reactivity for most people, there are generally no issues with sensitivity to it like you would see with, say, soy or whey protein. Indeed, because they’re not dairy-free, certain whey proteins can be highly inflammatory—despite their widespread promotion by fitness professionals. It can trigger blood sugar surges and spike insulin, which are also factors for people dealing with thyroid issues.
Product Recommendations
The following products are those that I personally use and recommend—I’ve done the legwork to identify what works and what doesn’t in terms of thyroid health. Of course, feel free to conduct your own research to find which of these products, or any others, work best for you. Check your nutrition labels to make sure you’re getting high-quality protein with minimal ingredients; if you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, that’s a sign of a poor-quality protein.
PurePaleo
A beef bone broth protein, PurePaleo comes in unflavored, chocolate, and vanilla. These simple flavor options differ from some of the crazy flavors you might find on store shelves—which likely contain unhealthy additives that can negatively affect your thyroid.
PurePaleo contains no artificial sweeteners, nor anything that’s inflammatory or that can impact you negatively. If you’re looking for a bone-broth protein, start with the ones that are the cleanest possible like PurePaleo. Depending on the flavor you chose, PurePaleo contains between 21 grams and 27 grams of protein per serving.
OptiCleanse GHI
The second option I recommend is OptiCleanse GHI, which, for me, is kind of the full deal. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other ingredients that are anti-inflammatory and support gut health and detoxification.
OptiCleanse GHI comes in convenient single-serve packets of 10, making it easy to grab on the go or portion out your protein. It contains 26 grams of protein per serving—plus, it tastes amazing!
Protein Powders Help You Meet Your Protein Needs
If you’re looking for an easy way to fulfill your daily protein needs, both of the above protein powders are solid options. You can mix and match the two in different flavors, or even mix the two together.
As you’re working toward your daily protein intake, strive to include 4 to 6 ounces of protein at each of your three meals a day, plus a snack with 2 to 3 ounces of protein as needed. Let your body guide the way for you with regard to how much protein to consume at each meal.
And while it’s always best to eat real, whole foods, clean protein powders can be a great way to up your protein, improve blood sugar and stress on the body, and help your thyroid function overall. If you’re purchasing any of these protein powders, be sure to use code ROCK10 at checkout to receive a discount.
PUREPALEO
Unflavored – https://rockbottomwellness.ehealthpro.com/products/purepaleo-protein-unflavored
Vanilla – https://rockbottomwellness.ehealthpro.com/products/purepaleo-protein-natural-vanilla-810-grams
Chocolate – https://rockbottomwellness.ehealthpro.com/products/purepaleo-protein-chocolate-810-grams-per-container
Opticleanse GHI:
To order, go here: http://www.wholescripts.com/register/rockbottomwellness/
Search for Opticleanse GHI and look for the Chocolate, Vanilla or Chai Flavor.