5 ADHD and Diet Facts You Can't Live Without
Is ADHD causing a lot of problems and stress in your life right now? If so, you may be able to improve ADHD symptoms with a change of diet.
This article will introduce you to the ADHD diet and nutrition facts to make living with ADHD easier. Whether you or someone you know has ADHD, knowing these facts will improve your life.
There Is No Actual ADHD diet
People with ADHD should have the same diet as anyone else: a healthy diet. As of right now, there is no concrete evidence suggesting certain foods are better for ADHD beyond what is better for those without ADHD.
The rest of this article will explain exactly what a healthy diet consists of along with a few other facts.
What Are the Worst Foods for ADHD?
When trying to eat healthier, some foods you want to cut out in your diet are saturated and trans fats, processed foods, foods with dye, sugary drinks and more. We'll go into more detail why these types of foods are considered the worst foods for people with ADHD.
Foods High in Saturated and Trans Fat
Saturated and trans fats cause inflammation, leading to heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. They also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by aiding insulin resistance. You need to eat fat to survive, but don't overdo it.
Fast Food and Most Processed Foods
Remember, processed food isn't like beef that's grounded through a machine. Processed food is chemically made. They contain chemicals that don't belong there.
Eating fast food and other (chemically) processed foods regularly will destroy your body from the inside out. Over time you will feel dumber, get fatter, and increase your risk of developing cancer among several other conditions.
Junk Food
Junk food is often processed and contains preservatives. It gets its own category because of the way it's packaged and sold. Junk food includes twinkles, candy bars, chips, ramen noodles.
Food with Dye like Ketchup and Processed Bread
Several studies suggest food dye causes hyperactivity in children. This would probably apply to adults as well. You might already know about all the problems that come with hyperactivity. Foods that can include dye are processed bread, yogurt, cereal, chewing gum, and applesauce.
Soda and Sugary Drinks
Of all the items mentioned in this article, soda harms you the most.
The majority of sodas contain the following: high amounts of sugar, acid, artificial sweeteners, dyes, and caffeine. Furthermore, pop has no nutritional value whatsoever and dehydrates you much like alcohol.
The last thing anyone with ADHD should do is drink soda. Unless you think the taste is worth more than your health.
What Are the Best Foods for ADHD?
Now that you're aware of some of the worst foods for ADHD, it's time to move onto the best foods to include in your diet and why.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables aren't just "good" for you. They lower the risk of heart disease and stroke and can lower blood pressure as good as medication can.
These superfoods can also prevent diabetes and keep your eyes healthy.
Lastly, fruits and vegetables may or may not reduce the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, stomach, and lungs. But don't drink too much fruit juice!
Whole Grains
Grains are important sources of fiber, B vitamins, and minerals like iron, magnesium, and selenium.
Fiber helps you get full without eating as much and may decrease your overall risk of death. The B vitamins help your body release energy from protein, fat and, carbs. Iron increases oxygen in the blood, and magnesium makes your bones and muscles stronger. Selenium keeps your immune system healthy.
The United States Department of Agriculture recommends half of the grains you eat daily be whole grains.
My Experience
Since I began eating healthy to improve my ADHD, one of my favorite foods is brown rice. Need to replace unfriendly ADHD condiments like BBQ and ketchup? (Those have sugars and food dye.) Try 100 percent natural mustard!
While foods listed above are healthy, over-consumption can still harm you.
You Are What You Eat and What the Animals You Eat Ate
Animals absorb what they eat. Likewise, when we eat animals, we absorb whatever they already ate. Are you willing to take chances?
Pay close attention to your food and its source. You can find all the information you need on food labels. If you can't read a food label, you may want to improve your health literacy.
Elimination Diets May Improve ADHD
So why don't elimination diets always improve ADHD? Because certain chemicals and ingredients in food don't affect everyone the same way. Researchers estimate up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. Including 5.9 million children under age 18. That’s 1 in 13 children or roughly two in every classroom.
This means a person with ADHD may also have a food allergy as well. In which case an elimination diet would undoubtedly improve ADHD symptoms.
Since most people don't have food allergies, an elimination diet is only as effective as switching to a healthier diet. However, for some people, an elimination diet can cause a noticeable improvement in ADHD symptoms.
If you believe you or someone you know has food allergies, I recommend going to see a doctor.
To quote Hippocrates, the guy responsible for the Hippocratic Oath all doctors take, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."