The Worst Foods for Your ADHD

There might be a hidden cause of your ADHD. Though ADHD is not attributed to one single cause, chemical balance matters.

The human body and brain are one big chemistry experiment. The foods we eat shape both body chemistry and brain chemistry.

Here’s what matters: mindful eating focusing on foods that worsen ADHD makes it easier to concentrate.

This is your guide to the most important foods to exclude from your diet when battling ADHD symptoms.

Food Dictates Focus, Attention and Hyperactivity

Though there is no concrete scientific proof that ADHD results from poor diet, specific foods appear to worsen the condition. Research suggests some foods play a meaningful role in altering ADHD symptoms in certain individuals.

Sugar is of particular importance. Sugar provides a brief energetic jolt followed by an inevitable crash. Though the calories in sugar help keep you moving and thinking, the period of intensity is short and unsustainable.

The consumption of sugar creates the famous “sugar rush” in which you feel a burst of adrenaline that facilitates exercise yet doesn’t help your focus and attention span. Add in the fact that sugar is likely to lead to additional health issues ranging from heart disease to obesity and type 2 diabetes and there is even less reason to consume it.

What can you do?

Instead of downing candy, cookies, soda or energy drinks, opt for fruit for an all-natural source of healthier sugar.

Be mindful of the fact that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend those age two and older should limit their sugar intake to less than 10% of their total food consumption on a daily basis.

As an example, if one consumes 2,500 calories per day, no more than 250 calories should be attributable to sugar.

The challenge lies in breaking the sugar habit. If you are hooked on sugar, attempt to gradually wean yourself off the substance, decreasing your intake little by little, day by day.

Keep in mind, there is also the option of pivoting to sugar-free candy. Gradually mix in some sugar-free candy with the tasty delights you’ve become accustomed to eating and you’ll eventually break the sugar habit.

Ultra-Processed Food

New Jersey food psychiatrists often reference UPFs, an industry term for ultra-processed food. As time has progressed, UPFs have comprised a greater percentage of the American diet.

UPFs are affordable, convenient and tasty. That’s exactly why they’ll remain on store shelves for the foreseeable future. What matters is that you are aware of the threat posed by UPFs.

UPFs are packaged foods with lengthy ingredient lists that often include sodium (salt), a substance that is linked to the development and worsening of ADHD. UPFs also contain sugar, chemicals and artificial additives.

Examples of common UPFs include:

Sugary cereal
Frozen food
Soda pop
Chicken nuggets

Though few know it, brown bread, commonly thought of as a relatively healthy carb option, is also considered a UPF.

Research indicates those with a diet containing UPFs experienced a worsening of ADHD symptoms by nearly 20%. It’s also worth mentioning the consumption of UPFs is tied to other health risks ranging from depression to obesity, heart disease and cancer.

The question begs: why are UPFs so unhealthy for the human body and mind?

Scientists aren’t sure if UPFs are unhealthy as they are loaded in sugar, fat or calories or if the poor health outcomes are the result of how these foods are made.

Add in the fact that UPFs sabotage gut health by causing inflammation and decreasing helpful gut microbes and there is even less reason to consume them.

Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are a net negative for those with ADHD.

Though some simple carbs such as those in fruits are not detrimental to human health and attention span, the vast majority of simple carbs lack meaningful nutritional value.

If you absolutely must eat some carbs for an energy boost or to feel sated, opt for complex carbohydrates such as beans, sweet potatoes, whole grains and veggies.

No matter what, it is imperative that you make an effort to cut down on simple cabs including but not limited to:

White rice
Pastries
Rolls
Muffins
Food with corn syrup
Products containing white flour
Frozen and prepackaged potatoes

Stick to your low-carb diet for at least a couple months and you’ll likely find you feel better and it is easier to concentrate.

The Wrong Fats

Ask a nutritional psychologist in NJ about fat and you’ll hear a common refrain: there is good fat and there is bad fat.

Avocados are the classic example of good fat as they are loaded with beneficial nutrients. Some such fat is necessary to support the growth of cells and also absorb vitamins.

In contrast, bad, unhealthy fats such as saturated fat, increases the levels of bad cholesterol in the body’s bloodstream. Elevated levels of food with “bad cholesterol” also known as LDL, short for low-density lipoprotein, put the heart at risk for disease.

According to the American Heart Association, it is best to limit saturated fats to a mere 5% of daily caloric intake. In other words, a 2,500 daily calorie diet should have a mere 150 calories from saturated fats.

Examples of food with saturated fat include:

Cheese
Yogurt
Cream
2% or whole milk
Coconut oil
Lard
Ghee
Butter

In fact, certain meats such as beef, pork and lamb also contain saturated fat. As such, it’s important to be selective when choosing different types of meat and other food.

Food Containing Artificial Coloring

Flavored fruit drinks, yogurts, cereals and desserts often contain artificial coloring and flavors. Such artificial food coloring is nearly ubiquitous across the aforementioned ultra-processed food.

Artificial food coloring is quickly becoming a serious problem. Check the labels of some of your favorite foods and you’ll find most, if not all, have artificial additives including food coloring.

Think twice before downing those items. The data indicates artificial food coloring causes hyperactivity.

Two of the most notorious artificial food coloring culprits are tartrazine and allura red often added to ice cream, condiments, fruit drinks, cereal and yogurt.

Food With Elevated Levels of Histamine

Certain aged cheeses and processed meats contain high levels of histamine. For most, histamine has negative connotations as the word is used to refer to the substance the body releases when the immune system overreacts to allergens such as pollen.

Some have an intolerance to histamine, meaning the body can’t break histamine down properly. In fact, the data shows histamines worsen ADHD symptoms.

As an example, some of those plagued by ADHD indicate the consumption of foods with histamine often cause anxiousness, irritability and other negative reactions that worsen ADHD.

Food and Beverages with Caffeine

There is a common misconception that only coffee and energy drinks contain caffeine. Chocolate, tea and soda pop all contain caffeine.

Caffeine, be it from food or beverages, worsens one’s ability to focus and sleep.

Keep in mind, some ADHD medication already contains a stimulating component. That stimulation alone is worth keeping in mind.

As a result, it does not make sense to stimulate the mind and body even more with caffeinated food or drinks.

If you have a hankering for coffee, consider switching to decaffeinated coffee.

Seafood and Fish

Though few know it, seafood including fish has the potential to worsen ADHD symptoms. Seafood and fish often contain small amounts of mercury.

It is the presence of mercury in such seafood that exacerbates ADHD symptoms.

In particular, swordfish, mackerel, tilefish and shark meat often contain mercury.

Why is mercury a problem?

Similar to cellulose, mercury is difficult to digest. As time progresses, mercury gradually accumulates within the human brain, creating the potential to cause or worsen hyperactivity.

Salicylates and Allergens

Salicylate is a natural component within a small group of foods including:

Red apples
Tomatoes
Grapes
Cranberries
Almonds

If you are sensitive to salicylate, avoid the aforementioned foods as eating them might trigger a reaction including a worsening of your ADHD.

It is also worth mentioning salicylates are also contained in pain medication such as aspirin.

Here’s a little-known tidbit you might find amusing: according to the famous Dr. Benjamin Feingold, a significant percentage of his patients improved after eliminating salicylates, artificial flavors and artificial dyes from the diets.

Similar to salicylates, allergens are also in certain foods. Some such allergens have the potential to alter brain functionality, potentially causing inattentiveness and hyperactivity.

Examples of the most common food allergens include: