Should Your Child Be Following an ‘ADHD Diet’?

If you have a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you want to do everything you can to help them. So, when you hear advice suggesting that iron can improve focus or that saffron works just as well as medication, it can be tempting to believe it.

The trouble is that those claims (and others like them) can be misleading. What your child eats does matter. Just maybe not in the way you’re thinking.

“In truth, there really aren’t any diet changes that show great promise for helping with ADHD symptoms,” says developmental pediatrician Carrie Cuffman, MD. “But a healthy diet is important for kids’ brains and their overall health.”

Dr. Cuffman explains what to know about ADHD and your child’s diet.

What foods should children with ADHD eat?

Contrary to those lists you may see about the “best foods for ADHD,” there’s no specific diet that’s recommended for it.

Instead, Dr. Cuffman advises sticking to a balanced diet as much as possible. That means getting a variety of whole and minimally processed foods.

“It’s not a matter of eating specific foods,” she clarifies. “The best advice is to meet their nutritional needs. That’s what’s going to keep their brains healthy and their bodies growing well.”

What does that mean, practically speaking? Focus on:

• Lean proteins: Healthy options include chicken, turkey, fish, beans and soy products.
• Fruits and vegetables: Aim for a variety, including a “rainbow of colors,” as different colors often correspond with different nutrients.
• Complex carbohydrates: That includes things like oats, brown rice and whole-grain breads and pastas.
• Healthy fats: Think avocado, olive oil, nuts and nut butters, and chia seeds.

If your child has a nutritional deficiency or another health condition that would benefit from specialized nutrition, their providers may suggest dietary changes or supplements to manage those concerns.

Are there foods to avoid with ADHD?

A healthy ADHD diet doesn’t mean your child has to avoid any specific foods. But maintaining a healthy diet naturally means limiting things like:

• Added sugar, including candy, soda and baked goods
• High-sodium foods, such as processed meats and chips
• Saturated fats, like red meat and fried foods

Again, that’s not to say that these foods will make ADHD worse. And it doesn’t mean your child can never have a cheeseburger or candy bar.

But keeping their intake low is best for their well-being. It helps keep their blood sugar stabilized and saves space for nutritious choices. That’s true for any kid (and adult) — whether they have ADHD or not.

How to help kids follow a healthy ADHD diet

We all know it’s not always easy to get kids to eat what the adults in their lives know is best for them. It’s no surprise if “Eat your broccoli” isn’t always met with glee.

And kids with ADHD can have some additional challenges when it comes to following healthy eating habits. Dr. Cuffman offers these tips:

• Offer, but don’t force. Kids aren’t always eager to try something new. But the more they see, touch and smell a food, the more likely they may be to give it a try. Just keep the pressure low. “Don’t make it a battle,” Dr. Cuffman advises. “You aren’t going to have much luck trying to force kids to eat something they don’t want.”
• Sneak it in. If your child isn’t a fan of the green stuff, try adding some kale or spinach to a smoothie, or blend it into their favorite pasta sauce. Ultimately, the goal should be to eat the food on its own. But in the meantime, a different form can help.
• Plan mealtimes thoughtfully. ADHD medications can suppress kids’ appetites. “I often recommend eating bigger meals at the beginning and end of the day, when the medication isn’t at its peak,” Dr. Cuffman says. “A good breakfast and a healthy bedtime snack can help to make up for any calories they’re not eating during the middle of the day.”
• Maintain some perspective. Following an overall healthy diet is the goal. But that doesn’t mean you have to aim for perfection. Help your child make healthy choices as often as they can. It’ll be a process, but it’s a worthwhile one.
• Seek professional guidance. Consider working with a registered dietitian to help your child expand their palate. And talk with a healthcare provider if you have specific concerns about vitamin deficiencies or other conditions affecting your child’s health and nutrition.

Above all, don’t get caught up in monitoring their diet at the expense of keeping up with evidence-based treatments.

“Diet alone isn’t an ADHD treatment,” Dr. Cuffman reiterates. “Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for medication, therapy and environmental interventions. Those are the things that we know can help.”