Taking control of your diet and nutritional intake is an important component of ADHD symptom management. As you work with your doctor, you can give a little boost to traditional approaches to symptom management by adjusting your diet to avoid certain foods. Scientists may not have a cure yet, but they have found some interesting connections between ADHD behaviors and certain foods. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential and, by avoiding certain foods, you may notice a decrease in ADHD symptoms.
Keep reading to learn more about what to avoid in your ADHD diet.
- Chemical Culprits
Some researchers have found that there may be a link between food dyes and hyperactivity. They continue to study this connection but, in the meantime, check ingredient lists for artificial coloring. The FDA requires these chemicals to be listed on food packages:
FD&C Blue No. 1 and No. 2
FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) and No. 6
FD&C Green No. 3
Orange B
Citrus Red No. 2
FD&C Red No. 3 and No. 40 (allura)
Other dyes may or may not be listed, but be cautious with anything colored that you put in your mouth. Think:
toothpaste
vitamins
fruit and sports drinks
hard candy
fruit-flavored cereals
barbecue sauce
canned fruit
fruit snacks
gelatin powders
cake mixes
- Dyes and Preservatives
When an influential study combined synthetic food dyes with the preservative sodium benzoate, it found increased hyperactivity. You might find sodium benzoate in carbonated drinks, salad dressings, and condiments. Other chemical preservatives to look for are:
butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
sodium nitrate
tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)
You can experiment by avoiding these additives one at a time and seeing if behaviors improve.
Dyes and preservatives may be worth taking a look at, but it should be noted that the FDA reports that studies have not yet proven a connection between synthetic additives and hyperactivity in 2011.
Simple Sugars and Artificial Sweeteners
The jury’s still out on sugar’s effect on hyperactivity. Even so, limiting sugar in your family’s diet makes sense. Look out for any kind of sugar or syrup on food labels to eat fewer simple sugars.Salicylates
When does an apple a day not keep the doctor away? When the person eating the apple is sensitive to salicylate! This is a natural substance abundant in red apples and other healthy foods like almonds, cranberries, grapes, and tomatoes. Salicylates are also found in aspirin and other pain medication. Dr. Benjamin Feingold eliminated artificial dyes and flavors and salicylates from the diets of his hyperactive patients in the 1970s. He claimed 30 to 50 percent of them improved.Allergens
Like salicylates, allergens can be found in healthy foods. However, they might affect brain functions, triggering hyperactivity or inattentiveness, if your body is sensitive to them. You might find it helpful to stop eating — one at a time — the top eight food allergens:
wheat
milk
peanuts
tree nuts
eggs
soy
fish
shellfish
Tracking food-behavior connections makes your elimination experiment more effective.
A doctor or dietitian can help you with this process.
Get in the Game Early
ADHD can pose serious obstacles to a satisfying life. Proper medical diagnosis and management is critical. Only 40 percent of children with ADHD leave the disorder behind as they mature. Adults with ADHD have higher odds of also having depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. The sooner you control your symptoms, the better your quality of life. So work with your doctor and behavioral coach, and cut chemicals, curb your sweet tooth, and take special precautions with food allergies.
Article modified from www.healthline.com.
Medically Reviewed by Steven Kim, MD on February 26, 2015
Written by Jane Hoppe and Rena Goldman
https://clearlifesupplements.com/5-food-items-to-avoid-with-adhd/