7 Foods Kids With ADHD Should Avoid
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Although ADHD maybe is diagnosed in all ages, it is more common in children. If your kid has ADHD they might have trouble focusing on the task they are doing, have trouble organising, get distracted easily, and experience various other symptoms.
However, besides medication and counselling, what your kid eats can also influence the severity or diminishing of their symptoms. Certain foods can help reduce the severity of your kid's symptoms, promote better brain functions, and better the medication's efficiency. On the other hand, certain foods might increase and worsen your kid's ADHD symptoms.
Here are 7 foods that your kid should avoid if they have ADHD:
Sodas
Sodas and other sugary drinks like packed juices can worsen your kids' lack of focus and boost hyperactivity. As these foods are full of sugar and preservatives, they might cause your kid to get distracted easily and hinder their performance at various tasks.
Caffeine
Similar to sugar, caffeinated drinks can cause hyperactivity in your child. High caffeine boosts various happy hormones and energises the body and mind. This increase in energy may be a trouble if your child is often hyperactive and engages in multiple tasks at once.
Candies (Sugar)
As discussed under sodas, sugar increases energy levels in the body. This can lead to excessive hyperactivity. Candies and other sugary foods such as cakes, pastries, chocolates, etc. may not be fit for your kid if they have ADHD. Although, occasionally consuming these foods may not cause any significant changes but maybe worrisome if consumed regularly.
Processed frozen foods
Processed frozen foods even frozen vegetables and fruits may not be fit for kids and people with ADHD. Highly processed foods have various preservatives that might affect your kid's symptoms. Along with this, artificial colouring may also cause behavioural problems in your kid.
Energy drinks
Energy drinks are high in sugar and caffeine. As the name suggests, energy drinks can cause a sudden and significant increase in our energy levels. This may worsen symptoms such as lack of focus, hyperactivity, and so on.
Look for food sensitivity
Studies have shown, that some foods may affect some people that have ADHD. Some people might be more sensitive to these foods than other people with ADHD. Foods such as chocolate, soy, milk products, etc. may cause symptoms to worsen in some children. Hence, if your kid is experiencing more difficulty than usual, the food they are eating may have a role to play in it.
Dairy products
Some kids with ADHD might experience an increase in ADHD symptoms post-consumption of dairy products, especially sourced by cows. Foods such as cheese, yogurt, milk, ice creams, etc. may reduce focus and other brain functions.