{"id":8923,"date":"2023-11-19T07:11:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-19T00:11:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8923"},"modified":"2023-11-19T07:11:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-19T00:11:08","slug":"5-adhd-nutrition-myths-to-stop-believing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8923","title":{"rendered":"5 ADHD Nutrition Myths To Stop Believing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">T<\/span>he internet is full of ways to \u201chack your health\u201d with food, most of which are rooted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wellness-diet-culture-podcast\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wellness-diet-culture-podcast\/\">wellness culture<\/a> (<em>cough, diet culture<\/em>). Examples include the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/detox-diet-myths\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/detox-diet-myths\/\">\u201cneed\u201d to detox<\/a> (fake), the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/chlorophyll-water-hangover\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/chlorophyll-water-hangover\/\">benefits of chlorophyll water<\/a> (not as clear-cut as it\u2019s portrayed on TikTok), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/is-dairy-bad-for-your-gut\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/is-dairy-bad-for-your-gut\/\">skipping out on dairy for your gut health<\/a> (myth!), and more. These \u201ctrends,\u201d so to speak, get us further and further away from knowing what our body is actually telling us it needs and wants\u2026but I\u2019ll get on my soapbox about that another day.<\/div>\n<p>For now, let\u2019s talk about the intersection of diet and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ncbddd\/adhd\/index.html#:~:text=People%20with%20ADHD%20may%20have,improve%20as%20the%20child%20ages.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ncbddd\/adhd\/index.html#:~:text=People%20with%20ADHD%20may%20have,improve%20as%20the%20child%20ages.\">attention deficit\/hyperactivity disorder<\/a> and the\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-adhd-get-worse-with-age\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/does-adhd-get-worse-with-age\/\">ADHD<\/a> nutrition myths to stop believing. Hint: If you\u2019ve heard the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatright.org\/health\/wellness\/healthful-habits\/sugar-does-it-really-cause-hyperactivity\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.eatright.org\/health\/wellness\/healthful-habits\/sugar-does-it-really-cause-hyperactivity\">old misconception that sugar makes kids hyper<\/a>, you already have an idea of what we\u2019re talking about here.<\/p>\n<h2>The most common ADHD nutrition myths to stop believing<\/h2>\n<h3>Myth 1: Processed food makes ADHD symptoms worse<\/h3>\n<p>In short, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2772566922000210\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2772566922000210\"><span>research simply doesn\u2019t back this up<\/span><sup>1<\/sup><\/a>. \u201cThe research we do have available is a case study, which only looked at children and their consumption of processed foods, and whether or not these children displayed ADHD symptoms,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/adhd.dietitian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/adhd.dietitian\/\">Madelyn Larouche, RD<\/a>, a non-diet, ADHD dietitian. \u201cThe study did not look at cause and effect.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Part of busting this myth requires busting another: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-processed-food\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-processed-food\/\">Food being processed isn&#8217;t always a &#8220;bad&#8221; thing<\/a>.\u00a0 (Yep, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/nutrient-dense-processed-foods\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/nutrient-dense-processed-foods\/\">processed foods can be nutrient-dense<\/a> and good for your body.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/adhd-nutrition-myths\/\" current-title=\"5 ADHD Nutrition Myths To Ignore, According to a Dietitian\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GettyImages-1042603352_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-05-18\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/adhd-nutrition-myths\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/adhd-nutrition-myths\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/adhd-nutrition-myths\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>Myth 2: Refined sugars make ADHD symptoms worse<\/h3>\n<p>Similarly, the (little) research on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2772566922000210\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2772566922000210\"><span>sugar and ADHD<\/span><sup>1<\/sup><\/a> didn\u2019t find any links. What&#8217;s more, sugars (and the carbs that break down into them) are crucial for our bodies. \u201cCarbohydrates are an essential macronutrient that humans need to function, and are also the body\u2019s preferred fuel source,\u201d Larouche says.<\/p>\n<p>A quick fun fact: The brain of an average-sized adult needs <a href=\"https:\/\/edis.ifas.ufl.edu\/publication\/FS243\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/edis.ifas.ufl.edu\/publication\/FS243\">130 grams of carbs per day for healthy brain function<\/a>, which is the equivalent of about <a href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/2343257\/nutrients\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/2343257\/nutrients\">nine slices of multigrain bread<\/a>. In other words, you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-of-carbs\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-of-carbs\/\">need more carbs than you probably realize<\/a>. Without enough carbs in your system, you may experience low energy, difficulty focusing, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Larouche makes another helpful, validating, point about this in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CvpsRvFgUka\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CvpsRvFgUka\/\">a pinned Instagram post<\/a>, in which she writes: \u201cThere is nothing wrong with using food as a source of stimulation! Pair the carb with a protein or a fat for a more satisfying snack that will help you feel satiated and to promote stable blood sugars.\u201d This doesn\u2019t mean you&#8217;re \u201caddicted to sugar,\u201d either, as she types in the reel.<\/p>\n<p>Along those lines, it\u2019s important to avoid demonizing any foods. \u201cThere is no \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018bad\u2019 carbohydrate,\u201d Larouche adds.<\/p>\n<h3>Myth 3: Gluten makes ADHD symptoms worse<\/h3>\n<p>Larouche says there are currently no studies that look at the correlation between ADHD and a gluten-free diet. \u201cThe only reason anyone should be limiting or completely excluding gluten is if they have <a href=\"https:\/\/celiac.org\/about-celiac-disease\/what-is-celiac-disease\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/celiac.org\/about-celiac-disease\/what-is-celiac-disease\/\">celiac disease<\/a> or are sensitive to gluten,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, cutting out food groups like these when you don\u2019t need to can cause problems. In particular, Larouche points to nutrient deficiencies and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/do-you-have-a-leaky-gut\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/do-you-have-a-leaky-gut\/\">a leaky gut<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Myth 4: Dairy makes ADHD symptoms worse<\/h3>\n<p>Just like gluten, Larouche says no research has looked at the link between dairy and ADHD, so there\u2019s no need to limit your intake unless you have an allergy or intolerance.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, by cutting out dairy if you don&#8217;t have to, you&#8217;re missing out on its major benefits: \u201cDairy is a great source of calcium and vitamin D, which support bone health,\u201d Larouche adds. \u201cExcluding dairy for no known reason\u2014especially when you\u2019re not supplementing with calcium and vitamin D\u2014can lead to rickets in children and\/or osteoporosis in adults.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Myth 5: Intermittent fasting reduces ADHD symptoms<\/h3>\n<p>According to Larouche: &#8220;Folks with ADHD who are eating every three to four hours will experience more focused energy than those who are fasting and going long periods of time without eating.&#8221; She recommends that you instead eat a balanced breakfast within one to two hours of waking up, and eat every three to four hours after.<\/p>\n<p>And that makes sense, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/signs-not-eating-enough\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/signs-not-eating-enough\/\">not eating enough<\/a> can lead to persistent thoughts about food, low energy, mood changes, and other undesirable side effects.<\/p>\n<p>Further, Larouche recommends eating a variety of foods. Doing so can support energy levels, attention span, focus, and overall wellness, she says.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t have much time or energy for cooking? That\u2019s okay\u2014don\u2019t let it be a roadblock, if at all possible. \u201cChoose quick, easy options to help reduce the time, steps, and overwhelm you may experience when it comes to meal prep,&#8221; Larouche recommends. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CwOIZJvOrcb\/?img_index=1\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CwOIZJvOrcb\/?img_index=1\">ADHD-friendly dinners<\/a> are a thing that can make adequate meals more accessible and maybe even\u2026exciting.<\/p>\n<p>When your goal is to become better informed about your food choices and how they affect your overall health, it&#8217;s important to educate yourself about the facts about your dietary choices, which can look like busting some ADHD nutrition myths or other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/diet-culture-lies\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/diet-culture-lies\/\">lies diet culture<\/a> would have you believe are true.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              Lange, Klaus W., et al. \u201cDiet and Food in Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.\u201d <em>Journal of Future Foods<\/em>, vol. 2, no. 2, 2020, pp. 112-118, https:\/\/doi.org\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jfutfo.2022.03.008.            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Lange, Klaus W., et al. \u201cDiet and Food in Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.\u201d <em>Journal of Future Foods<\/em>, vol. 2, no. 2, 2020, pp. 112-118, https:\/\/doi.org\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jfutfo.2022.03.008.            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The internet is full of ways to \u201chack your health\u201d with food, most of which are rooted in wellness culture (cough, diet culture). Examples include the \u201cneed\u201d to detox (fake), the benefits of chlorophyll water (not as clear-cut as it\u2019s portrayed on TikTok), skipping out on dairy for your gut health (myth!), and more. These &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}