When it comes to managing thyroid eye disease (TED), what you eat matters more than you might think. Your immune system—and, by extension, your eyes—responds to the foods you choose. While no diet can cure TED, avoiding certain foods can help reduce inflammation, keep your thyroid levels stable, and protect your overall health.
Of course, there’s a ton of diet-related misinformation out there. It’s tough to sift through the myths and facts to make informed choices that improve your health. We’re here to help. Below, we’ll dive into what to steer clear of and why.
What Foods Are Bad for Thyroid Eye Disease?
Thyroid eye disease (TED), also known as Graves’ eye disease, is an autoimmune condition, so the focus should be on minimizing inflammation and avoiding foods that can trigger immune system flare-ups. Here’s a list of common culprits:
Processed Foods
Highly processed snacks, fast foods, and frozen meals are packed with additives, unhealthy fats, and sugars that fuel inflammation. These are the enemies of a balanced immune system. Note that ultra-processed foods (usually abbreviated as UPFs these days) are also linked to a wide range of other negative health outcomes. Even if you don’t have TED, it’s wise to limit or omit them.
Sugary Foods and Beverages
Excess sugar can spike inflammation and stress your body, which is already trying to manage TED. Skip the sodas, candy, and pastries—they’re doing your eyes no favors. Note that added sugar is found in some unexpected places, like milk, and it’s not always required for the producer/manufacturer to list it on the nutrition panel.
High-Sodium Foods
Salt-heavy diets can worsen swelling and water retention, which is the last thing you need when your eyes are already puffy from TED. Cut back on processed meats, canned soups, and salty snacks. Note that the American Heart Association recommends around 1,500 milligrams of salt daily, which is less than a third of what most Americans consume.
What Can Worsen Thyroid Eye Disease?
Beyond food, lifestyle factors like smoking, stress, and poorly managed thyroid hormone levels can exacerbate TED. Smoking, in particular, is one of the worst offenders, as it directly worsens inflammation and reduces the effectiveness of treatments like Tepezza. Combine healthy eating with quitting smoking and stress management for a more comprehensive approach to slowing down TED.
What Are the 3 Worst Foods for Thyroid Diseases?
If we had to name the top offenders, they’d be:
Fried Foods
Loaded with unhealthy trans fats, fried foods promote inflammation and interfere with overall health. They’re a hard no for anyone managing TED.
- For the thyroid: Trans fats interfere with thyroid hormone production and absorption, which can make thyroid dysfunction worse, especially if you already have an autoimmune thyroid condition like Graves’ disease.
- For TED: Inflammation is the key driver of TED, and trans fats amplify it. This can worsen symptoms like swelling, redness, and bulging eyes, while also slowing down your body’s ability to heal.
Refined Carbs
White bread, pasta, and other refined carbs spike blood sugar and inflammation, making TED harder to manage.
- For the thyroid: Rapid blood sugar spikes can stress your endocrine system, including the thyroid, by causing fluctuations in insulin levels. This can worsen thyroid function and autoimmune activity indirectly.
- For TED: The spikes in blood sugar from refined carbs lead to a corresponding increase in inflammation. High blood sugar also reduces your immune system’s efficiency, making it harder for your body to manage the inflammation associated with TED.
Sugary Drinks
These are a double whammy: they dehydrate you and ramp up inflammation. Opt for water or herbal teas instead.
- For the thyroid: Excess sugar can lead to chronic inflammation, which disrupts your immune system and may increase thyroid imbalances.
- For TED: Sugary drinks contribute to systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, making your TED symptoms worse. They can also dehydrate you, making common TED symptoms like eye discomfort and dryness even more pronounced.
How These Foods Affect TED Specifically
Thyroid eye disease is driven by inflammation and immune system dysfunction. Foods like fried items, refined carbs, and sugary drinks exacerbate these issues in several ways:
- Increase in Inflammation: These foods trigger inflammatory pathways in the body, which can intensify TED symptoms like swelling, puffiness, and redness around the eyes.
- Slower Healing: Chronic inflammation from poor dietary choices reduces your body’s ability to repair tissues, making it harder for TED to move into the inactive phase. So, poor food choices could mean that the active phase lasts that much longer.
- Immune System Dysregulation: TED stems from an overactive immune system attacking the tissues around your eyes. The stress these foods place on your body can amplify immune dysfunction, making the cycle worse.
How Do You Slow Down Thyroid Eye Disease?
To slow TED’s progression, focus on foods that reduce inflammation and support your immune system. Think fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats like those found in nuts, seeds, and avocados. Foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can also be particularly helpful in fighting inflammation.
The Mediterranean diet is a great example of this, as is the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet. Vegan diets can also be good if you avoid vegan junk food. Vegetarians can fight back against TED, too, but it’s important to watch things like dairy because of the saturated fat it contains.
Managing TED isn’t just about avoiding the wrong foods—it’s about nourishing your body with the right ones, managing stress, and working closely with your healthcare team.
Contact a TED Specialist Today
The bottom line? Avoid processed, sugary, and salty foods that can aggravate inflammation and worsen TED symptoms. Small, consistent changes to your diet can make a big difference over time.
Ready to take control of your TED journey? Dr. Raymond Douglas specializes in treatments tailored to your unique needs. Schedule an appointment today and get personalized guidance to support your eyes—and your health.
