According to "Nutrition and Public Health," approximately 10 percent of U.S. children fall within the defined criteria for diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. Generally, hyperactive children have excessive energy, short attention spans and trouble concentrating. Some researchers feel ADHD has always plagued children, but it went undiagnosed in the past. Others researchers, such as San Francisco pediatrician Dr. Ben Feingold, feel there is a strong relationship between ADHD and contemporary food additives, flavorings, colorings and sugar content. Avoidance of certain foods can change children's behavior.
Foods High in Sugar
The sugar content in many foods is higher now than in previous decades. Manufacturers understand that most people prefer sweet and salty tastes, so their products are saturated with sugars and salts. Refined sugars are digested rapidly, causing a "sugar rush" of energy and triggering a hormone release that includes insulin and adrenalin. Blood glucose and hormone levels rise and fall quickly and can cause children's behavior to be hyperactive and erratic. The release of hormones and other chemicals can be habit forming, which leads to cycles of cravings and withdrawal.
Not all sugars produce the same effect in the body. Highly refined sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup, affect the pancreas and blood glucose levels the most and should be avoided. Many prepared foods, breads, desserts and snacks contain corn syrup. Candy, chocolate, soda pop and sweetened drinks are huge sources of various types of sugar, and often caffeine, which is considered a nervous system stimulant. Ice cream, most yogurts and breakfast cereals, energy bars and soy milk contain powdered sugar, sucrose, dextrose or fructose. More natural sources of sugar, such as honey, molasses and sugar cane, have some health benefits, but they still negatively impact hyperactive children.
Seemingly healthy foods, such as bananas, pineapple, corn, white rice and potatoes affect hyperactive children because of high glycemic indexes; meaning that they quickly break down to glucose molecules and trigger insulin release. These foods needn't be avoided, but they should be limited and combined with other foods that take longer to digest, such as vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains.
Food Additives
Food additives include a variety of compounds added to food and include artificial flavors, preservatives and colors. A 1994 study published in "Annals of Allergy" concluded that foods and additives, especially artificial dyes, are common causes of ADHD in children. Red and yellow food dyes are considered the most harmful and are commonly added to candy, ice cream, cakes and soda pop. Despite the FDA's approval of hundreds of chemicals classified as food additives, the American Academy of Pediatrics, as of 2008, states that children with ADHD should avoid artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Other additives singled out to avoid include aspartame, monosodium glutamate and nitrates.
Foods High in Saturated and Trans Fat
The same fats harmful to arteries and cardiovascular health also have a negative impact on hyperactive children. Saturated and trans fats, both of which are solid at room temperature as opposed to oils, inhibit normal nerve function throughout the entire central nervous system. These kinds of fats cannot be used by the brain; instead, they interfere with the normal action of neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers within the brain that control mood and higher functions. Avoid these fats and other hydrogenated oils. Healthier oils for cooking include flaxseed, canola and olive oils.
References
- "Nutrition and Public Health"; Sari Edelstein; 2006
- "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition"; Martha Stipanuk; 2006
- "Annals of Allergy"; Foods and Additives are Common Causes of the Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder in Children; M. Boris, et al; May 1994
- Feingold.org: American Academy of Pediatrics, ADHD and Food Additives Revisited
