This information will help you follow a low-iodine diet. A low-iodine diet is a diet with less than 50 micrograms (mcg) of iodine per day.
Back to topAbout Iodine
Iodine is a mineral. Minerals are a type of nutrient your body needs to work properly. Your body uses iodine to make certain hormones, such as the hormones made by your thyroid gland.
All of the iodine in your body comes from your diet. Most of the iodine in your diet comes from iodized salt and other products made with added iodine. Only a few foods (such as seaweed, dairy, and some fish) naturally contain iodine.
Back to topAbout a Low-Iodine Diet
Following a low-iodine diet before getting radioactive iodine therapy can help the therapy work best. If you have too much iodine in your body during your radioactive iodine therapy, your thyroid gland might use that iodine instead of the radioactive iodine. This keeps the treatment from working as well as it should.
Your doctor will tell you when to start and stop following a low-iodine diet. Most people start 1 to 2 weeks before their dose of radioactive iodine and stop after their radioactive iodine therapy is complete.
A low-iodine diet doesn’t meet the suggested daily allowance for all nutrients. You will only follow it for a short time. Don’t start following it unless your doctor tells you to.
Foods, Drinks, and Other Items Containing Iodine
Read the ingredients list on all nutrition facts labels to check if the food or drink contains added iodine.
The following things contain added or natural iodine. Don’t eat or use:
- Iodized salt
- Seasoning mixes made with iodized salt (such as adobo)
- Onion salt, celery salt, garlic salt, or seasoned salt made with iodized salt
- Seaweed (such as kelp, nori, kombu, and wakame)
- Any food that has:
- Iodates
- Iodides
- Algin
- Alginates
- Carrageen
- Agar
- Commercial breads and bakery products that contain iodate bread conditioners (such as calcium iodate or potassium iodate)
- Milk (except for 1 ounce a day) and milk products (such as cheese, yogurt, and cream)
- Egg yolks
- Most seafood (except fresh-water fish)
- Vitamins and dietary supplements that have iodine. If you aren’t sure if a vitamin or supplement has iodine, don’t take it.
- Food, pills, or capsules with food dyes that contain Red Dye #3
- Restaurant and processed foods
- Soy products, such as edamame, tofu, and soy burgers (Boca® burgers)
- Antiseptics, such as iodine (Betadine®) applied on a cut
- Cough medications that contain Red Dye #3
- Liquid nutritional supplements and commercial shakes, such as:
- Ensure®
- Boost®
- Glucerna®
- Nutrament®
- Orgain®
It’s okay to use very small amounts of non-iodized salt (such as sea salt), but be careful not to use too much. Even non-iodized salt may contain small amounts of iodine.
If you’re getting tube feeding formula, ask your dietitian or doctor what to do.
Back to topLow-Iodine Diet Guidelines
Breads and cereals
Eat 4 to 6 servings of breads and cereals every day. One slice of bread or ½ cup of cooked pasta or grains is 1 serving.
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Meat and meat substitutes
Eat 2 to 3 servings of meat and meat substitutes every day. Three ounces of meat or poultry is 1 serving.
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Drinks
Drink at least 8 to 10 (8-ounce) cups of liquid a day, unless your doctor gives you other instructions.
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Milk and milk products
Avoid milk and milk products. It’s okay to have 1 ounce of milk per day (such as in your coffee or tea).
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Fruits
You can eat as many servings of fruit as you want. One small piece of fruit or ¾ cup of fruit juice is 1 serving.
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Vegetables
You can eat as many servings of vegetables as you want. One cup of raw vegetables or ½ cup of cooked vegetables is 1 serving.
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Fats
Eat 4 to 6 servings of fats every day. One teaspoon of butter or oil is 1 serving.
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Desserts and Sweets
Limit to 2 servings per day. Each item in the “include” column is 1 serving.
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Condiments
You can eat as many servings of condiments as you want.
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Miscellaneous
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Sample Low-Iodine Menu
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Breakfast |
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Morning snack |
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Lunch |
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Afternoon snack |
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Dinner |
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Evening snack |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a certain food has iodine?
The iodine content of many foods isn’t known. Remember, this is a low-iodine diet, not a non-iodine diet. We encourage you to follow this list of recommended foods as a guide. If you have questions, call your clinical dietitian nutritionist.
If a product label says it has sodium, does that mean it also has iodine?
Not always. Sodium and iodine aren’t the same thing. Most commercial food manufacturers use non-iodized salt in their products. But, it’s hard to know for sure. It’s best to choose unsalted products in case the salt does contain iodine.
I have read dietary guidelines for a low-iodine diet on the Internet that are different than the guidelines in this resource. Which should I follow?
We encourage you to follow our list of recommended foods and foods to avoid. This is because the iodine content of many foods isn’t known and not all Internet sources are accurate.
Can I use kosher salt?
We recommend using only non-iodized salt and only in small amounts because it may still contain a small amount of iodine. If you need salt, choose Morton’s® Plain Table Salt and use only small amounts.
My doctor told me to suck on hard candy for dry mouth, but this diet says I can’t have candy. Which instructions should I follow?
We recommend that you avoid any candy that contains chocolate, because chocolate contains milk. But, most hard candies are okay to have if they don’t contain Red Dye #3. Check the ingredient list on the nutrition facts label of the candy. If you’re not sure if the candy contains Red Dye #3, don’t eat it. We also recommend GoNaturally™ Organic Honey Lemon hard candies for dry mouth.
Should I stop taking any of my medications?
Don’t stop taking any of your medications unless your doctor tells you to. Call your doctor or nurse if you have any questions about your medications.
Tell your doctor about any vitamins or supplements that you’re taking. You will need to stop taking them if they contain iodine.
Because vitamins and supplements aren’t regulated the same way other medications are, it may be hard to tell if they contain iodine. If you aren’t sure if a vitamin or supplement contains iodine, don’t take it.
Can I drink alcohol?
Ask your doctor or nurse about drinking alcohol.
Back to topContact Information
If you want to speak with one of Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK)’s clinical dietitian nutritionists, call 212-639-7312 to make an appointment.
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