Ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat”? Did you know there’s science backing up this claim?

Research has discovered diets play a vital role in brain function. While a concern for those with unhealthy appetites, it’s also a blessing for those with treatment-resistant conditions.

When it comes to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), parents may struggle to put their children on prescription medication. With that in mind, they may seek out all-natural routes to help ease ADHD symptoms, including a healthy and wholesome diet.

Throughout this blog, we’ll discuss the diets for ADHD, going in-depth on the best foods to eat and avoid.

How Diet Affects the Brain

It wasn’t until recently that researchers discovered the gut-brain connection. In simple terms, our gut holds hundreds of millions of neurons connected to our brains through nerves in the nervous system. ¹ These neurons have an influence on several brain functions, including:

• Emotion
• Stress
• Mood

Ever have a “gut feeling” about something? That’s the gut-brain connection. For example, we’ve all experienced the sensation of “butterflies in our stomach.” That’s our gut trying to tell our brain something feels off.

Naturally, one way to influence our gut-brain connection is through a proper diet. With that, many who struggle with mental health seek out diets that specifically relieve symptoms. ²

The Importance of Protein and ADHD

Protein-rich foods have an important role in the body’s digestion. They create neurotransmitters – a chemical brain cells use to communicate with one another. This communication has been proven to play an essential role in ADHD treatment. It helps the brain communicate better and prevents blood sugar levels from increasing. ³

If you have ADHD, you should consider adding these protein-rich foods to your diet:

• Beans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Lean beef
• Low-fat dairy products
• Nuts
• Pork
• Poultry
• Soy

Researchers have confirmed that protein is most important in the morning. This is because it allows neurotransmitters to help awaken the brain. ⁴

Vitamins and Minerals – The Missing Link

Even with a balanced diet, we’re often missing key vitamins, minerals, and fats that can improve the signs of ADHD. According to Richard Brown, M.D., author of How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care: “Supplements and diet can correct nutrient shortfalls that exacerbate ADHD symptoms.”

The following are some of the most important supplements you can add to your daily routine:

Zinc, Iron, and Magnesium

People with ADHD have trouble regulating dopamine, a neurotransmitter important for pleasure, motivation, and learning. ⁵ Luckily, supplements such as zinc and iron can help improve this regulation.

On the other hand, magnesium influences neurotransmitters involved in attention and concentration. In effect, magnesium can calm the brain while improving cognitive function. ⁶

B Vitamins

Though B Vitamins have been found to increase dopamine levels, they also have several other benefits -particularly, to children who struggle with ADHD. Studies show that even just a small dosage of B Vitamins helped children’s IQ scores improve by nearly 16 points. Furthermore, it helped decrease aggression and antisocial conduct. ⁷

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids can improve brain and nerve cell function. In effect, foods or supplements containing omega-3 can help reduce ADHD symptoms. In fact, one study found that people with ADHD who ate foods high in omega-3 fatty acids had a symptom reduction of nearly 50%. ⁸

Ginkgo and Ginseng

ADHD medication tends to activate cognitive functioning and, in turn, improve ADHD symptoms. ⁹ However, the side effects make it unattractive for most people, especially parents.

Luckily, there are natural alternatives, including ginkgo and ginseng. Both herbs improve cognitive function and make people with ADHD less impulsive and distracted. ¹⁰

It should be noted that Asian ginseng may overstimulate younger children.

Foods to Avoid with ADHD

Since food plays such a significant role in ADHD, there are several options people with the condition should avoid. These include:

High-Sugar Foods/Snacks

It’s fairly well-known that children who consume high amounts of sugar are likely to be more hyperactive. However, what many parents don’t know is children with ADHD are even more “turned on” by sugar. ¹¹ In other words, sugar is almost like an activation for ADHD symptoms.

Therefore, people with ADHD should avoid fruit drinks and cocktails. When grocery shopping, it’s important to keep an eye on nutrition labels. Some ingredients to avoid include:

• Dehydrated cane sugar
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• High-fructose corn
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Sucrose
• Sweetener

Artificial Dyes and Preservatives

Recent studies have found that artificial food coloring and flavors (including preservative sodium benzoate) cause hyperactivity, even in children without ADHD. ¹² Foods containing these ingredients are often colorful and direct to kids, such as Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms.

Final Word

If you’re an adult with ADHD or have a child with the condition, it’s important to remember that prescription medication doesn’t always have to be an option.

With the advent of modern science and medicine, we better understand how our brain and body works. And with that understanding, we have found ways to improve our mental function simply through diet and other lifestyle changes.

Still, if you are on medication, it’s important to consult your healthcare provider before stopping use.

References

¹ Mayer EA. Gut feelings: the emerging biology of gut-brain communication. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2011 Jul 13;12(8):453-66. doi: 10.1038/nrn3071. PMID: 21750565; PMCID: PMC3845678.

² Loughman A, Staudacher HM, Rocks T, Ruusunen A, Marx W, O Apos Neil A, Jacka FN. Diet and Mental Health. Mod Trends Psychiatry. 2021;32:100-112. doi: 10.1159/000510422. Epub 2021 May 6. PMID: 34032648.

³ Hontelez S, Stobernack T, Pelsser LM, van Baarlen P, Frankena K, Groefsema MM, Kleerebezem M, Rodrigues Pereira R, Postma EM, Smeets PAM, Stopyra MA, Zwiers MP, Aarts E. Correlation between brain function and ADHD symptom changes in children with ADHD following a few-foods diet: an open-label intervention trial. Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 12;11(1):22205. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01684-7. PMID: 34772996; PMCID: PMC8589974.

⁴ Sihvola N, Korpela R, Henelius A, Holm A, Huotilainen M, Müller K, Poussa T, Pettersson K, Turpeinen A, Peuhkuri K. Breakfast high in whey protein or carbohydrates improves coping with workload in healthy subjects. Br J Nutr. 2013 Nov 14;110(9):1712-21. doi: 10.1017/S0007114513000779. Epub 2013 Apr 16. PMID: 23591085.

⁵ Klein MO, Battagello DS, Cardoso AR, Hauser DN, Bittencourt JC, Correa RG. Dopamine: Functions, Signaling, and Association with Neurological Diseases. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2019 Jan;39(1):31-59. doi: 10.1007/s10571-018-0632-3. Epub 2018 Nov 16. PMID: 30446950.

⁶ Hariri M, Azadbakht L. Magnesium, Iron, and Zinc Supplementation for the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review on the Recent Literature. Int J Prev Med. 2015 Sep 2;6:83. doi: 10.4103/2008-7802.164313. PMID: 26445630; PMCID: PMC4587068.

⁷ Mousain-Bosc M, Roche M, Polge A, Pradal-Prat D, Rapin J, Bali JP. Improvement of neurobehavioral disorders in children supplemented with magnesium-vitamin B6. I. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Magnes Res. 2006 Mar;19(1):46-52. PMID: 16846100.

⁸ Königs A, Kiliaan AJ. Critical appraisal of omega-3 fatty acids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016 Jul 26;12:1869-82. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S68652. PMID: 27555775; PMCID: PMC4968854.

⁹ Advokat C. What are the cognitive effects of stimulant medications? Emphasis on adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2010 Jul;34(8):1256-66. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.03.006. Epub 2010 Apr 8. PMID: 20381522.

¹⁰ Ahn J, Ahn HS, Cheong JH, Dela Peña I. Natural Product-Derived Treatments for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Safety, Efficacy, and Therapeutic Potential of Combination Therapy. Neural Plast. 2016;2016:1320423. doi: 10.1155/2016/1320423. Epub 2016 Feb 4. PMID: 26966583; PMCID: PMC4757677.

¹¹ Del-Ponte B, Anselmi L, Assunção MCF, Tovo-Rodrigues L, Munhoz TN, Matijasevich A, Rohde LA, Santos IS. Sugar consumption and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A birth cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2019 Jan 15;243:290-296. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.09.051. Epub 2018 Sep 17. PMID: 30257225; PMCID: PMC6193136.

¹² Arnold LE, Lofthouse N, Hurt E. Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for. Neurotherapeutics. 2012 Jul;9(3):599-609. doi: 10.1007/s13311-012-0133-x. PMID: 22864801; PMCID: PMC3441937.