Low Iodine Diet

Some doctors recommend that patients following a low-iodine diet (LID) for up to two weeks before receiving radioactive iodine treatment. This is to starve the body of iodine, so that remaining thyroid tissue will ‘suck up’ the radioactive iodine more efficiently. This should increase the effectiveness of the treatment.

There are very few available statistics on the iodine content of various foods, and the information below has been gleaned from a variety of sources. Many of these sources are contradictory, so what you see is a patchwork of information, taking the most stringent recommendations from each source.

It is suggested that you continue to follow the diet for 24-48 hours after receiving radioactive iodine, so that the thyroid tissue takes up the ‘poisoned’ iodine rather than iodine from any other source. After this, it is saturated, and you can return to your normal diet.

I have included a list of low-iodine foods in a chart that can be printed for use in the kitchen, as well as a list of branded ready-prepared foods that can be used. You will probably find many more suitable foods in your local shops, and will get quite used to reading the small print on the labels. You may find that you feel too ill to eat much during this period, anyway.

Invest in a bread-making machine. As well as being a way to avoid commercially made bread without developing arm muscles like a navvy, the bread tastes really good, and is great fun to make.

The biggest problem you will find is being offered food prepared by other people, and having to ask them what is in it. It can make you seem very rude, but when you explain that it is part of your cancer treatment, people are very understanding. It is best to avoid eating out while on this diet.

The basic rules are simple: no dairy, no fish, and no E127 additive. Try and stick rigidly to this, and think of the other items as ‘extra points’.

Food Not Allowed on LID Diet

TRY NOT TO EAT

Fish/seafood/seaweed

Milk, butter, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream, whey/buttermilk

Dried milk, coffee whiteners

Margarine

Egg yolk

Sea salt (table salt is OK in the UK)

Spinach

Watercress

Broccoli

Commercially made bread

Red dye – E127

Soy spread/milk/beans/tofu/soy sauce

Ham, corned beef, bacon

Crisps

Canned vegetables

Spam and salami

Glace cherries

Cough medicine

Liver, kidney,

Shop-bought bread

Multivitamins with iodine in

Chocolate with milk in it, or with soy products added

AVOID THESE ADDITIVES:

Lecithin, Lactose/lactic acid

Food Allowed on LID Diet

EAT FREELY

Small amount of fresh meat per day

Up to 4 servings grain/cereal/pasta per day

Basmati or plain rice

Fresh fruit

Barley

Root vegetables, fresh or frozen

Unsalted nuts

Sugar, honey, maple syrup

Black pepper, herbs

Cola, lemonade, 7Up, Lilt, Lipton Ice

Herbal tea

Lemon tea

Non-instant tea/coffee

Beer

Mushrooms

Whole grain cereals

Fruit juice

Cocoa powder

Matzo or rice cakes

Homemade bread

Popcorn

Sorbet

Pure sunflower oil, pure corn oil