Is Chocolate Good For Thyroid?
Chocolate contains the saturated fat cacao butter, which supports thyroid function at every level — meaning chocolate fat (cacao butter) supports the release of the thyroid hormones from the thyroid gland, the transport of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream, and the cells' response to the thyroid hormone. Making saturated fats like cacao butter a part of your daily diet can significantly support your thyroid function. You can learn more about the thyroid-supporting diet in my book How to Boost Metabolism with Food and my Metabolic Nutrition Mastery course.
What Is The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe?
I tried this cake for the first time at a friend's birthday party, and I must say it was very good. My friend got the recipe from the Danish magazine Femina. Surprisingly the cake is without flour, and only with ingredients that are part of my thyroid supportive diet — so I want to share it here on my thyroid health blog. Enjoy!
Chocolate cake for 12 people:
4 eggs
260 g (9.2 oz) sugar
1 dl (0.4 cup) boiling water
300 g (10.6 oz) dark chocolate 85%
200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter
How to make it:
1. Whip the eggs with 1/3 of the sugar until the amount is quadrupled (it takes about 10 minutes with an electric whisk).
2. Boil the water and the rest of the sugar into a thick sugar batter. Chop the chocolate roughly and add it together with the butter into the sugar batter. Stir until dissolved and then remove from heat. It is important that the sugar batter is very thick and that butter and chocolate are completely dissolved.
3. Very gently fold the chocolate mass into the egg mass — it is important to add a little at a time and mix very gently.
4. Distribute the chocolate cake dough into a round or square mould of about 20 cm with a 5 cm high edge lined with baking paper. Put the mould in a deep oven-proof dish filled with boiling water (it is important that the water comes up to the edge of the mould).
5. Bake the cake in the water bath for 50 minutes in a 160°C (320°F) oven. Test with a skewer — if it sticks, give it 10 more minutes. Cool the cake before removing it from the mould.
Always store your chocolate cake in the refrigerator. The cake is best the day after.
You can learn more about eggs, butter, and chocolate and why these are so good for your thyroid in my book How to Boost Metabolism with Food and my Metabolic Nutrition Mastery course.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chocolate really good for thyroid function?
Yes — good quality dark chocolate contains cacao butter, which is a saturated fat that supports thyroid function at multiple levels. It supports the release of thyroid hormones from the gland, their transport in the bloodstream, and the cells' ability to respond to them. This is one reason why cacao butter and dark chocolate can be a genuine part of a thyroid-supporting diet when used in the right context.
Why is this cake made without flour?
The cake is naturally flour-free because the recipe relies on eggs for structure and dark chocolate and butter for richness. From a pro-metabolic perspective this is a benefit — the ingredients used (eggs, butter, chocolate, sugar) are all supportive of thyroid function and metabolism, while wheat flour adds little nutritional value for those focusing on metabolic health.
Is sugar acceptable on a thyroid-supporting diet?
In the pro-metabolic approach I follow, sugar — particularly sucrose — is not the enemy it is made out to be. It is a readily available fuel for the cells and can actually support metabolic rate when consumed alongside adequate protein and saturated fat. I explain the reasoning behind this in detail in my book How to Boost Metabolism with Food and my Metabolic Nutrition Mastery course.
What makes butter and eggs good for thyroid health?
Butter is a source of short and medium chain saturated fats that support cell membrane stability and do not interfere with thyroid hormone signalling the way polyunsaturated fats do. Eggs provide high-quality protein and fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin A and vitamin D, both of which are essential for thyroid receptor function. Together they are two of the most thyroid-friendly foods available.
