Foods to Avoid with Your ADHD Child

This was shared with me and I felt that it was pertinent for A Sweet Tooth. It is also relevant if you are an adult with ADHD. The below list is good advice in things to avoid for anyone, however these items play tremendous havoc in an ADHD persons body even more so.

1.) Salt
Some snackers forgo sugar in favor of salt, but sodium is another nutrient to avoid in excess. Many of us know that sodium can cause high blood pressure, but too much can interfere with your child’s internal equilibrium when it comes to ADHD. Similar to caffeine, salt can lead to a depletion of the minerals needed to keep the neurons fire in a healthy manner. Sodium “interferes with a child’s mineral balance,” trading tortilla chips, pretzels and other snacks high in salt for potassium-rich fruits and vegetables. Processed foods tend to be high in sodium, so watch for it on the labels.

2.) Hydrogenated Oils
Bad fats aren’t just the nemesis for your weight loss; they also inhibit healthy nerve function. “The wrong kinds of fat don’t feed the brain, instead they interfere with the brain. “The membranes of the brain have to be very fluid and if you are putting those saturated fats in there, cut back.” The wrong kinds of fats are the Tran’s fats and saturated fats, generally the ones that harden at room temperature. Manufacturers have become savvy to Trans fats, so you’ll rarely find those on a label, but you’ll still find sat fats. Healthier oils include flax seed, canola, and olive oils. Another tip to avoid hydrogenated oils: Stick to the grocery store’s perimeter. “Stay out of the middle of the store” where foods are more processed and likely to contain unhealthy fats.

3.) Sugar
Sugar is an ADHD child’s downfall because it robs your body of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes and increases hyperactivity by preventing blood sugar levels from remaining stable. It doesn’t matter if you use refined white sugar or rich dark molasses—all sugars are created equal when it comes to their negative effect on the ADHD child. There may be slight nutritional benefits to some sugars: Sucanat, for example, is pressed cane juice that leaves the fiber behind, so you get the minerals from the plant. (Sucanat is sugar in its most natural form. Sucanat is many levels above regular white granulated sugar. This sugar takes baking and tea drinking to new levels of pleasure.) Also, honey offers pollen that helps with allergies, molasses contains trace minerals, and Agave metabolizes more slowly. Still, you should curb your child’s sugar intake and get savvy to hidden sugars in foods such as breakfast cereals, energy bars, sweetened drinks, soymilk and other foods. For example, did you know that a serving of flavored yogurt might contain as much sugar as a serving of ice cream? When looking at a label, along with the obvious “sugar” tag, avoid all artificial sweeteners and foods that contain corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose and fructose.

4.) Caffeine
Caffeine pulls minerals out of the bone, when your body lacks the natural level of minerals it needs to function. Coffee, tea and other caffeinated drinks are acidic and lower the natural PH of the body, making it work harder to find a natural balance. This means that an ADHD child who’s consuming too much caffeine—sometimes found in chocolates, desserts, and carbonated beverages—may be losing the minerals he needs to assist his nerve function.

5.) Additives
Blue bubblegum, pink and yellow cake decorations, goldfish crackers dyed the color of the rainbow—all are a visual delight for any child. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved several hundred food additives designed to improve flavor, taste, and appearance, but this doesn’t mean they are healthy for your ADHD child, Steer clear of all artificial dyes and flavors. Specifically food coloring, such as red and yellow, and monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG. And don’t assume, just because several years ago you read a lot about it in the media, that unsafe dyes are off the shelves. When possible, go natural with your food products. (shared by Marla with HerbalLife)

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