Some of the most commonly eaten foods by Americans and people around the world are unknowingly hurting their focus and possibly aggravating their ADHD symptoms.
By avoiding these foods you will be able to have a boost of focus and energy while also living a healthier life in various different ways as these foods can make us gain weight, be toxic, and possibly decrease our life span. Just because an item is easily found over the counter does not mean it is good for us.
1)Is Microwave Popcorn and Movie Popcorn a Good Choice?
There is a secret about microwave popcorn that you eat at the movie theater; It likely contains trans fat! According to some doctors the way that trans fats can possibly have a negative effect on ADHD is because of the fact that trans fat lessens the amount of the essential fat DHA in our brain. People underestimate the importance of getting essential fats, they aren’t actually important as they are essential. If we don’t receive any in our body we go into a deficient of the building blocks we need to do various functions including in our brain. If we don’t want to see an overall decrease in intelligence and overall focus we may want to lay off these versions of popcorn and make sure we are buying a brand that does not contain trans fat.
2)Most Peanut Butters are a Sneaky Danger
“But I thought peanut butter is good for me?” It is, but once again there is dirty secret to the peanut butter you are probably buying at the grocery store. If you are not actively seeking the natural trans fat free brand there is a very high likelihood your food is slowly poisoning you in various ways and possibly contributing to your ADHD. When a product has trans fats they are not labeled as “Trans Fats” on the label, instead trans fats will begin with the prefix “partially hydrogenated.” Not all peanut butter contains trans fat though, most natural brands will not contain it. Unfortunately even some of the brands that promote themselves as natural sneak this ingredient in there, so be sure to check the label before buying it. If you read the back of the label of the more popular brands of peanut butter you will also notice that there is added sugar, which is another possible factor in helping cause Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms.
3)White Bread is More Harmful Than You Think
White bread is even higher on the glycemic index than table sugar, hard to believe but it is indeed true. When something is considered highly glycemic it means that it causes fluctuations in our insulin levels, once we bottom out studies have shown that it negatively effects our brain functioning hurting our focus levels as compared to low glycemic carbohydrates like brown rice, low carb wraps, and green vegetables. Considering many people make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread with peanut butter that contains trans fat and jelly that contains sugar, this combination may be a triple whammy in effecting our brain in a negative way. Add on top of that the fact that milk is also considered a possible trigger for some people with a sensitivity and it makes us realize we may need to re-think these classic meals that we have eaten in the past.
4)Candy on this List Probably Doesn’t Surprise You
If you asked someone which food is most likely to cause ADHD symptoms they would most likely say candy because every one knows that candy is a guilty pleasure which does not add to our health in any positive way. Not only are they extremely high in sugar contributing to ADHD, but they also contain many artificial ingredients including food dyes which some now think contribute to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In fact, one study done by the United Kingdom Foods Standards Agency found when they gave children drinks that contained these food dyes that the children who did not receive the dyes were able to focus better. By sticking to natural foods it allows us to stay clear of most harmful food additives, but not all of them.
5)Regular And Diet Soda Can Hurt Focus
Soda is another example of a food (drink) that can negatively effect ADHD in various different ways. Regular brands of soda contain sugar and food dyes which have already been previously written about in this article for their negative attributes for ADHD. Most diet sodas contain a toxic chemical named Aspartame which many people now believe is an aggravating factor in ADHD. Aspartame breaks down into Methanol which is an illegal drug and Phenylalanine which can disrupt dopamine production in our brain which controls memory, attention, and problem solving. Prescription medications like Adderall work by a function of increasing dopamine, by ingesting diet soda we can possibly damage our supply of this important neurotransmitter and thus negatively impact brain function. In small amounts phenylalanine is safe as it is sold as dietary supplement, excess use may cause some side effects though.
By avoiding these foods and instead getting our nutrition through natural foods that are low in glycemic carbs, essential fats, and by eating enough protein we can possibly boost our focus and energy levels while also helping our health in many ways. It is important to read the label of over the counter items we buy and consume to check for nutritional value as knowledge is power when it comes to properly planning our diet.