World Thyroid Day - 25th May Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the front of your neck. Hypothyroidism, sometimes called under-active thyroid, is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones. Although you may find many claims about foods you should and shouldn’t eat to ensure thyroid health, in general there are no specific foods you must avoid if you have hypothyroidism. Concern surrounding the impact of spinach, kale and other similar vegetables — including broccoli, broccoli rabe, turnips, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage and cauliflower — on thyroid health is due to the effect they can have on the thyroid’s ability to absorb iodine. Having enough iodine in your diet is crucial for thyroid health because your thyroid gland needs iodine to make T3 and T4. It’s true that eating a lot of these vegetables could limit your thyroid’s uptake of iodine. The amount you would need to eat to have that effect, however,