Skip to content
Dr. Suhail M. Marfani — Health Matters
Conditions we treat

Thyroid Disorders

Hypo- and hyperthyroidism, testing, treatment and a thyroid-friendly diet plan.

Thyroid Disorders Food Guide — search rice, roti, dal and 200 more foods, rated Green / Amber / Red for iodine, soy and medicine timing.

Open the Food Guide

South Indian Foods · Thyroid Disorders

Idli, dosa, sambar, ragi and coconut-based dishes.

Educational guidance only — not a personal diet prescription. Content is medically reviewed and based on recognised clinical guidelines — see references. If you have feedback or a suggestion to improve this website, .

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Appam

hoppers, palappam

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 2 pieces (about 100 g)

Vegetables — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Avial

aviyal

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 150 g)

Banana — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Banana

kela, mauz, saging

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 small (about 100 g)

Rice & Rice Dishes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Bisi bele bath

sambar rice

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)

Karela — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Bitter gourd (karela)

ampalaya, bitter melon, pavakkai

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup cooked (about 125 g)

Brown Rice — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Brown rice

red rice, unpolished rice

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: ½ cup cooked (about 100 g)

Vegetables — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Cabbage thoran

palya, poriyal

Healthy when cooked — cooking removes most goitrogens. Normal portions are safe.

Portion: 1 cup (about 150 g)

Protein Foods — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Chicken chettinad

chettinad kozhi

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)

Vegetables — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Coconut chutney

thengai chutney

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 2 tablespoons (about 30 g)

Rice & Rice Dishes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Curd rice

mosaranna, thayir sadam

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)

Egg Boiled — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Egg (boiled)

anda, bayd, itlog

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 large egg (about 50 g)

Protein Foods — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Egg curry

anda curry, mutta curry

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 2 eggs with gravy (about 200 g)

Fruits — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Fresh coconut meat (buko)

coconut flesh, thengai

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 2 tablespoons (about 40 g)

Grilled Fish — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Grilled white fish

hammour, machli, samak

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: palm-size piece (about 120 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Idiyappam

nool puttu, string hoppers

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 2 pieces (about 80 g)

Idli — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Idli

iddli

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 2 idli (about 80 g)

Fruits — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Jackfruit

chakka, kathal, langka

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: ½ cup (about 80 g)

Protein Foods — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Kerala fish curry

meen curry, meen kuzhambu

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)

Rice & Rice Dishes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Lemon rice

chitranna, elumichai sadam

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 small cup (about 150 g)

Mango — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Mango

aam, manga, mangga

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: ½ cup cubes (about 80 g)

Pulses & Legumes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Moong dal

green gram dal, mung dal

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup cooked (about 200 g)

Pulses & Legumes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Moong sprouts

bean sprouts, togue

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 100 g)

Fruits — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Papaya

papaya, papita

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup cubes (about 145 g)

Plain Dosa — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Plain dosa

dosai, sada dosa

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 medium (about 80 g)

Dahi — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Plain yogurt (dahi)

curd, yoghurt, zabadi

Good source of iodine and calcium — keep 4 hours apart from your thyroid tablet.

Portion: ¾ cup (about 150 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Poha

aval, flattened rice

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 150 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Puttu

pittu

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 120 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Ragi mudde

ragi ball, ragi kali

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 small ball (about 100 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Ragi roti

nachni bhakri, ragi rotti

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 small (about 60 g)

Vegetables — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Rasam

chaaru, saaru

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)

Pulses & Legumes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Sambar

sambhar

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)

Milk & Dairy — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Spiced buttermilk (moru)

majjige, neer mor

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 glass (250 ml) (about 250 g)

Pulses & Legumes — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Sundal

chana sundal

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: ½ cup (about 100 g)

Snacks & Desserts — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Table sugar

asukal, cheeni, sukkar

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 teaspoon (about 4 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Upma

rava upma, uppittu

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 cup (about 180 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Green · Choose more often

Uttapam

oothappam

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 1 medium (about 120 g)

Water — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

Water

maa, pani, tubig

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: 6–8 glasses a day (about 250 g)

White Rice — food photograph
Green · Choose more often

White rice (boiled)

basmati, bhaat, chawal, kanin, ruz

Fits a balanced diet for thyroid health — use iodised salt in moderation.

Portion: ½ cup cooked (1 fist) (about 100 g)

Drinks & Beverages — illustrative photo
Amber · Watch your portion

Filter coffee with sugar

kaapi

Coffee reduces thyroid tablet absorption — wait 30–60 minutes after your tablet.

Portion: 1 cup (150 ml) (about 150 g)

Snacks & Desserts — illustrative photo
Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Banana chips

kaya varuthathu

High in sugar or fat — makes weight control harder with an underactive thyroid.

Portion: small handful (about 30 g)

Drinks & Beverages — illustrative photo
Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Coconut water

buko juice, nariyal pani

High in sugar or fat — makes weight control harder with an underactive thyroid.

Portion: 1 glass (250 ml) (about 240 g)

Grains & Cereals — illustrative photo
Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Masala dosa

masale dose

High in sugar or fat — makes weight control harder with an underactive thyroid.

Portion: 1 large (about 200 g)

Snacks & Desserts — illustrative photo
Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Medu vada

uddina vade, ulundu vadai

High in sugar or fat — makes weight control harder with an underactive thyroid.

Portion: 2 pieces (about 80 g)

Snacks & Desserts — illustrative photo
Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Payasam

kheer (South Indian), paysam

High in sugar or fat — makes weight control harder with an underactive thyroid.

Portion: ½ cup (about 120 g)

Medical disclaimer: All content on this website is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and reading it does not establish a doctor–patient relationship. Always consult a qualified clinician about your own health. Content is medically reviewed and based on recognised clinical guidelines — see references. If you have feedback or a suggestion to improve this website, .

Please read

Medical disclaimer

The information on this website is for general educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and using this website does not create a doctor–patient relationship with Dr. Suhail M. Marfani.

Always consult a qualified doctor about your own health. Do not stop or change any medicine based on this website. In an emergency, call 998 or 999 (UAE) or go to the nearest emergency department.

Cookies & privacy: this website uses no advertising or tracking cookies. Your browser only remembers that you accepted this notice. No registration is needed — the whole website is free to read.

Read the full Medical Disclaimer, Legal & Privacy and Cookie Policy.

Feedback & suggestions

We welcome your honest feedback. If any information has changed or something new should be added, please let us know — we will review it and update the website accordingly. Every suggestion will be considered.

Please keep messages respectful. Abusive, offensive, promotional or unethical messages are filtered out automatically. Do not share medical details or reports — this form is not for consultations or emergencies. No sign-up is needed and you can stay anonymous.