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Low-Iodine Diet: Preparing for Scans
Before undergoing radioactive scanning, you may be asked to follow a low-iodine diet. Your doctor may have a specific diet or timeline for you to follow. If not, these tips may help you. Of course, as with other aspects of your therapy, it’s important to talk with your doctor about diet changes and other test preparation.
Some foods that contain iodine that you may want to avoid are listed below:
- Iodized salt, sea salt, and salty foods. Because it’s hard to know which restaurants use iodized salt, you might want to avoid eating out during this time
- All dairy products (milk, sour cream, cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream)
- Margarine
- Egg yolks
- Seafood (fish, shellfish, seaweed, kelp)
- Foods that contain carrageen, agar-agar, algin, or alginate — all of these are made from seaweed
- Many prepared and/or cured meats (ham, bacon, sausage, corned beef, etc)
- Fresh chicken or turkey with broth or additives injected
- Dried fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Commercial bakery products
- Chocolate
- Molasses
- Soy products (soy sauce, soy milk, tofu)
- Any vitamins or supplements that contain iodine
- FD&C red dye #3 — this appears in many foods or pills that are red or brown, including colas
NOTE: You should NEVER discontinue any medication before consulting your doctor!
If this seems overwhelming, it may help to know that “iodine” does not mean salt or sodium. Non-iodized salt, like Kosher salt, is fine to use on a low-iodine diet.
Selected foods that are okay to keep eating include:
- Egg whites
- Fresh noncured meat from the butcher
- Matzoh
- Homemade bread made with non-iodized salt and oil (not soy!) instead of butter or milk
- Most fresh fruits and vegetables (but not too much spinach & broccoli), washed well
- Frozen vegetables that don’t have high-iodine ingredients (like regular salt) added
- Canned peaches, pears and pineapples
- Natural unsalted peanut butter
- Clear sodas
- Coffee or tea, as long as it’s made with distilled water. But remember, only non-dairy creamer!
- Popcorn popped in vegetable oil or air popped, with non-iodized salt
- Sorbet — but remember to check the ingredient list for FD&C red dye #3!
You may want to shop and freeze or store your ingredients before starting your diet to avoid being tempted by iodine-containing foods at the store. Alternatively, try shopping at a health-food store where products will be labeled if they are salt and dairy free.
Especially if you will be going off your thyroid hormones for testing, you may want to prepare several meals and freeze them ahead of time, so you can cut down on the hassle later.
For other low-iodine suggestions, check out these sources:
ThyCa: Low-Iodine Diet & Cookbook
Light of Life Foundation: Low Iodine Cookbook
National Institutes of Health: Preparing to Receive I-131: The Low-Iodine Diet (PDF)
Your Health Press: The Low Iodine Diet Cookbook
Safety Information
Thyrogen® (thyrotropin alfa for injection) is used in combination with other tests to detect recurring or leftover thyroid cancer cells in patients with a history of certain types of thyroid cancer. Thyrogen is injected in a muscle, and is available only by prescription. The most common side effects reported in clinical studies were nausea, headache, weakness & vomiting. When using Thyrogen, there is a risk that thyroid cancer cells may not be detected and diagnosis of recurring cancer may be missed. If you think that Thyrogen may be right for you, or if you have any problems with the use of Thyrogen, please contact your doctor. To learn more, please see
full product information (PDF), contact Genzyme
toll free at 1-88-THYROGEN (1-888-497-6436). |
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