Thyroid Disease Living With The Low-Iodine Diet for Radioactive Iodine Treatment Adapt Your Diet to Improve Your Outcome By Mary Shomon Mary Shomon Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution." Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 12, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Do-Eun Lee, MD Medically reviewed by Do-Eun Lee, MD LinkedIn Do-Eun Lee, MD, has been practicing medicine for more than 20 years, and specializes in diabetes, thyroid issues and general endocrinology. She currently has a private practice in Lafayette, CA. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print If you are going to have radioactive iodine treatment, which is medication taken by mouth that permanently reduces your thyroid gland activity, you will have to follow a low-iodine diet. Iodine is an element found in food that the body uses to make thyroid hormones. Following a low-iodine diet for at least two weeks before getting your treatment makes your thyroid more receptive to the medication. This increases its effectiveness. You'll need to continue to maintain this diet until your treatment is complete. There are a few different thyroid conditions that may be treated with radioactive iodine therapy. These may include several types of thyroid cancer, as well as hyperthyroidism, which occurs when your thyroid makes more hormones than are needed. Westend61 / Getty Images This article explains which foods are okay to consume and which foods to avoid when following a low-iodine diet. An Overview of Thyroid Disease Treatments What Foods Should I Avoid Before Radioactive Iodine Treatment? There are certain restrictions when you are on a low-iodine diet. Some foods either contain iodine or increase your absorption of iodine. Foods you should avoid include: Iodized salt Dairy products like cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, and ice cream Egg yolks, whole eggs, and foods containing whole eggs Seafood like fish, shellfish, seaweed, and kelp Foods that contain additives like carrageenan, agar-agar, and alginates Bread products that contain iodine dough conditioners Milk chocolate Soy products like soy sauce, soy milk, and tofu Any supplements that contain iodine Blackstrap molasses Cured and corned foods like ham, lox, and corned beef Salt is a common source of iodine. But, low iodine has nothing to do with sodium, which is also found in salt. While you are on your low-iodine diet, sodium is fine, as long as it's from other sources. What Are Some Special Considerations for a Low-iodine Diet? Medications may be processed with iodine-containing Red Dye #3, or erythrosine. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist can tell you if any of your medications contain iodine. If they do, you may need to change your medication before and while you are receiving your radioactive iodine treatment. Be sure to consult with your doctor before stopping any medicines. Most commercial vitamin preparations have iodine added as an essential nutrient. Read labels carefully and ensure that you are taking an iodine-free vitamin while following the low-iodine diet. Recap Foods and certain medications may contain iodine. When following a low-iodine diet, be sure to read labels carefully and check in with your doctor if you have any questions. What Can I Eat on a Low-iodine Diet? There are many foods that you can eat while on a low-iodine diet. Some may feel concerned about the need to cut out salt, but know that it's fine to use non-iodized salt. Foods you can eat while on a low-iodine diet include: Non-iodized saltFresh, canned, and frozen vegetables in cooked or raw formUnprocessed meats, including beef, pork, and poultryPasta and riceSome breadMatzoEgg whitesFruitsUnsalted nutsUnsalted nut butters such as peanut butter and almond butterPopcorn with non-iodized saltDark, non-dairy chocolateIodine-free spicesVegetable oils Soft drinks, coffee, tea, and fruit juices Can I Have Prepared Foods? If ordering take-out or eating in a restaurant, be sure to exercise some caution. While some ingredients in a dish may be quite obvious, others—like those in a "special sauce"—may not be. You may be able to request that your food is made without salt or with non-iodized salt. However, you may want to avoid take-out and prepared foods during this time just to be safe. Keep in mind that baked goods are often made with iodized salt, salted butter, egg yolks, and/or dairy products. Seek out specialty grocery stores and bakeries that sell items prepared with low iodine. Making these items yourself, however, may be easier. Eating Well on a Low-Iodine Diet Recap There are many foods you can eat on a low-iodine diet. Keep in mind that finding low-iodine friendly prepared foods from a restaurant or bakery may be a bit tricky. You may want to prepare your own food during this time just to be safe. Summary Before beginning radioactive iodine treatment, you will need to follow a low-iodine diet. While there are some foods that you will need to avoid, there are many food and drink options that adhere to a low-iodine diet. Keep in mind certain medications may also contain iodine and may need to be switched before you begin your treatment. A Word From Verywell Radioactive iodine treatment can be a very effective method of addressing thyroid-related conditions. The process requires some preparation on your part, between following a low-iodine diet and adjusting some of your medications ahead of time. Be sure you are clear on the instructions you need to follow to ensure that you get the most out of your treatment. Frequently Asked Questions What are the side effects of a low-iodine diet? There are no negative effects of eating low-iodine food. The recommendations for the diet used to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure, are similar to the recommendations for a low-iodine diet, so you may see your blood pressure and cholesterol levels improve. Learn More: Benefits of the DASH diet What are some low-iodine diet snacks? Your best options are fresh fruits and vegetables, but other recommendations include:Dried fruitApplesauceUnsalted nutsUnsalted peanut butter and rice cakesMatzoh or other unsalted crackersFruit juiceHomemade muffins Learn More: Where to Watch for Hidden Salt with Iodine Which foods have iodine? Only a small number of foods have iodine naturally occurring in them. These include seaweed, some fish, and dairy. Most dietary iodine comes from foods that have iodine added, especially iodized salt, seasonings, commercial baked goods, and other processed foods. Learn More: Why You Need Iodine Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Losing weight with thyroid disease can be a struggle. Our thyroid-friendly meal plan can help. Sign up and get yours free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 8 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lim CY, Kim JY, Yoon MJ, Chang HS, Park CS, Chung WY. Effect of a low iodine diet vs. restricted iodine diet on postsurgical preparation for radioiodine ablation therapy in thyroid carcinoma patients. Yonsei Med J. 2015;56(4):1021–1027. doi:10.3349/ymj.2015.56.4.1021 Lee KJ, Chang SO, Jung KY. Experiences with a low-iodine diet: a qualitative study of patients with thyroid cancer receiving radioactive iodine therapy. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2016 Aug;23:43-50. doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2016.02.011 Michigan Medicine. Low iodine diet guidelines. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Low-iodine diet. Michigan Medicine. Low iodine diet guidelines. Bazzano LA, Green T, Harrison TN, Reynolds K. Dietary approaches to prevent hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2013;15(6):694-702. doi:10.1007%2Fs11906-013-0390-z American Thyroid Association. Low iodine diet. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Low-iodine diet.