The Iodine-Filled Smoothie Recipe That Can Prevent Hypothyroidism, Weight Gain and More

We all know how important the thyroid can be in our day-to-day life. Your thyroid is directly linked to the function of your whole body. Your thyroid is responsible for, among other things, regulating your metabolism. Your metabolism is responsible for the transformation of food as energy and has a role to play with your overall health.

Hypothyroidism happens when the thyroid isn’t releasing enough essential thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism is characterized by a slow metabolism, fatigue, memory loss, weight gain, depression, and irregular menstrual cycles. According to the American Thyroid Association, an estimated 20 million Americans have a thyroid disease and 60% of them don’t know it!

Whenever I see statistics about the rise of certain disorders in America, I like to take a step back and find where these disorders are less prevalent. Countries where thyroid problems are prevalent are mainly developing countries where it is common for people to be deficient of iodine. While developing countries have higher documented cases of hypothyroidism, countries where iodine needs are adequately met aren’t necessarily safe from it. Thyroid problems can also arise after exposure to heavy metals like mercury and fluoride.

What can we do about Hypothyroidism?

Iodine is one of the minerals essential to healthy thyroid functions – and is also one mineral our bodies do not make. Iodine deficiency is one of the major causes of goiters and hypothyroidism. While it has been added to many forms of table salt, too much iodine can also negatively affect your thyroid and make hypothyroidism worse. So don’t go overdoing it!

According to the World Health Organization, iodine deficiency is one of the main causes of brain damage. So there’s even more of a reason to keep up with your iodine consumption. The best sources of iodine are sea vegetables like seaweed and fish. One study linking thyroid health and breast cancer found that Japanese women who consumed seaweed daily were at less risk than their western counterparts. Thyroid experts recommend 1-3 mg of iodine daily to keep thyroid glands healthy.

So what should you take to get your iodine? What if I told you that you can get what you need to keep your thyroid healthy in a delicious smoothie?

Chlorella

This smoothie makes use of a unique ingredient you may not be familiar with: chlorella! It’s my favorite way to get iodine in my diet. Chlorella is a type of seaweed that grows in fresh water. Chlorella is well-known and widely used in Japan for its detoxification properties. Throughout our daily lives, we encounter all sorts of toxic heavy metals. Metals like mercury find themselves in our seafood, dental fillings, and water. Chlorella works to target toxic chemicals and heavy metals within the digestive tract and cleanse these from the body. Detoxing heavy metals is just one of the ways chlorella works to treat hypothyroidism.

As a form of algae, chlorella contains thyroid supporting iodine. If you have an iodine sensitivity, do not use chlorella as it can trigger an allergic reaction. You can typically find chlorella at your local health food store as a tablet, liquid extract, or as a powder. This recipe makes use of powder form chlorella.

Try this delicious smoothie recipe out today and share it with your family and friends!