Sugar is of course something we all love. Whether it’s a little bit of sweetener in your morning tea, or an after lunch treat, it’s hard to deny the pull that sugar has on us.

Unfortunately, though, sugar really isn’t great for anyone. If you add hypothyroidism on top of that… it can be downright destructive.

So, let’s talk about why that is and some alternatives that you can look into to appease that sweet tooth.

Inflammation

One of the biggest problems with sugar is that it causes inflammation. Inflammation can cause our body to not absorb all of the nutrients we need, it can cause aches and pains, and if you have Hashimoto’s or another autoimmune disorder, inflammation can cause flare ups of your other symptoms. Inflammation is so hard on the body and it’s really something we all need to focus on reducing. 

Blood Sugar Dysregulation

When your blood sugar is constantly spiking and bottoming out, this can lead to blood sugar dysregulation. Which can then lead to your body releasing too much cortisol as a stress response. When your body is in a stress response, it’s only focused on the necessary functions and processes that keep you alive, which means it will slow down things like thyroid hormone conversion.

What to Eat Instead

Here’s the thing: I don’t want to tell you to stop enjoying the things that you love! But I do want to encourage you to make smart choices that will help improve your thyroid health.

So, for a sugar swap in baking, cooking, or beverages, instead of using refined sugar, try Stevia or monk fruit. Both of these are natural and come from plants, but they don’t cause the same issues as sugar. You can usually find bags of these in the natural/organic section of the grocery store. And online as well. 

Honey and maple syrup are also two fantastic options - they will add a bit of a different flavor to whatever you’re using them, but they are much better choices than refined sugar.

In terms of pre-made snacks, I love brands like Siete, Lesser Evil, Hu, and Lily’s Sweets are some brands I recommend because they use great ingredients… and they are so delicious. Again, you can usually find these in the organic/natural section of the grocery store.

So there you have it: sugar is really hard on the thyroid and it’s one of the first things I recommend you stop eating when you’re having thyroid problems. But there are so many great swaps on the market today, so just because you should avoid sugar, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite treats!