Dining Out? Some Foods/Beverages ADHD Sufferers Need to Avoid

By Guest Blogger Alvina Lopez – Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the essential holistic ways to keep ADHD symptoms in check. In fact, a new study  suggests that eating the right foods may even be more potent in improving mood and concentration levels than medication. While there is a long list of foods that are beneficial to stabilizing ADHD, including those high in protein and omega 3′s, it’s equally important to know which foods should be avoided—especially when dining out. It’s harder to trace every ingredient in your food— ingredients that may very trigger your ADHD. That said, to learn a few dishes and beverages you may want to refrain from eating when dining out, continue reading below.

Hot Dogs and Burgers—As a rule of thumb, adults with ADHD should really do all they can to avoid these two American food staples, especially if ordering from a fast food eatery.  Why is that? For starters, hot dogs are one of the most highly processed meats aside from bologna and are generally packed with all sorts of potentially harmful ingredients that are known to spike ADHD symptoms, including artificial flavor and coloring, as well as nitrate and other preservatives. But what really makes hot dogs and their partner-in-crime “the hamburger” such a bad choice is the bread.  Most  American fast food and restaurant buns and sub rolls, including some breakfast bagels and croissants, (even the wheat variety) contain azoficarbonamide—a flour bleaching agent that is also ironically used to make foam plastics.  Not only is azoficarbonamide linked to bring forth ADHD symptoms, but some studies also link it to asthma.

Soda & Sweet Tea—Stop ordering soda with your meals and opt for water instead.   They aren’t off limits because of the caffeine necessarily (in fact some claim caffeine actually helps improve their ADHD). No, these two beverages are off of the list because they are high in sugar, syrup, and phosphorus— agents that deplete your body of the essential vitamins it needs to fight off hyperactivity. You need a little boost? Drink a smidge of black coffee instead.

Sushi and Most other Asian Cuisine— Raw tuna, yellowtail, swordfish and mackerel contain the highest levels of mercury, a chemical that causes ADHD symptom to progress over time. This is because mercury is harder to digest and will accrue in the brain—this is what causes hyperactivity.  But even if you steer clear from sushi, you need to be careful when dining at Asian restaurants since soy sauce and MSG are popular ingredients.  These two components have also been heavily linked to causing ADHD symptoms.

Are there any other foods you can think of?

Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email alvina.lopez @gmail.com.