The Health Diva

Parents often feel that diet plays a role in their children’s ADHD. Indeed there is evidence that food allergies and intolerances can be implicated in individual cases while recent controlled studies suggest that food additives and preservatives may have an impact on behaviour.  A food diary is a non-intrusive way of attempting to establish whether there is any link between behaviour and food.

Elimination diets can be effectively incorporated into treatment approaches although these may in the end turn out to be effective for a minority of children only.

Food Allergies

Evidence suggests that children with behavioral difficulties may be sensitive to certain chemicals in foods. Studies vary widely, however, on how many cases of ADHD may be associated with sensitivities or allergies to food chemicals or additives, with results ranging widely from 5 – 62%. Among the suspected additives and foods that parents and studies report as inciting behavioral changes are the following:

Any artificial colorings (particularly yellow, red, or green)

Other chemical additives — for example, BHT or BHA

Milk

Chocolate

Eggs

Wheat

Foods containing salicylates, including all berries, chili powder, apples and cider, cloves, grapes, oranges, peaches, peppers (bell & chili), plums, prunes, tomatoes

Feingold Diet

The most well-known diet for ADHD, the Feingold diet, a salicylate- and additive-free diet, This diet also prohibits aspirin, which contains salicylates.

It is certainly wise, in any case, to avoid food with artificial colors and flavors and to provide a healthy balance of fresh, natural foods.