Key takeaways

  • Research on ADHD diets is mixed, but eating a balanced diet is generally recommended over restrictive diets for managing ADHD symptoms in both children and adults. This includes eating whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while limiting ultra-processed foods and added sugars.
  • The Feingold and elimination diets may help identify food sensitivities, but they’re not strongly supported by research and may lead to nutrient deficiencies.

A combination of behavioral therapy and medications typically treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Changes in diet cannot replace any treatment prescribed by your doctor, but it can be used alongside existing treatment.

Research on the following diets for ADHD is mixed. Always talk with your doctor before starting a new diet or making any significant changes to the way you eat.

According to a 2023 review of research, results on the Feingold diet for ADHD are mixed. Researchers note that study results may have been affected by poor experimental design, ambiguity in behavioral ratings, and placebo effects.

Moreover, the Feingold diet restricts thousands of food additives, and each study only focused on one.

However, a 2015 review found that children with ADHD are more likely to have a sensitivity to ingredients eliminated in the Feingold diet. This includes synthetic food colorings.

What to avoid

The Feingold diet requires you to avoid certain foods and products believed to contribute to hyperactivity. They include:

Salicylates are also temporarily removed at the start of the diet. This is a chemical naturally found in some foods, including apricots, berries, and tomatoes.

The few foods diet is also known as:

  • an oligoantigenic diet
  • an elimination diet
  • a hypoallergenic diet

It focuses on the elimination of foods known to cause allergic reactions.

The few foods diet is not intended to be used as a long-term treatment. Its goal is to help identify diet sensitivities in children.

After a child completes the few foods diet and learns which foods they should avoid, the child can be placed on a diet tailored to their individual needs.

A small 2021 study involving 16 children with ADHD demonstrated that following this type of diet helped identify food sensitivities. Researchers found that most study participants were sensitive to more than one food and that these food sensitivities increased ADHD symptoms.

A 2022 study found that the few foods diet for children is promising, but more research is needed.

What to eat

The few foods diet only includes foods that are not known to cause intolerances. In this diet, only the following foods are allowed:

  • apples and apple juice
  • apricots
  • asparagus
  • beets
  • cane and beet sugar
  • carrots
  • chicken
  • cranberries
  • honey
  • lamb
  • lettuce
  • olive oil
  • peaches
  • pears
  • pineapple
  • rice, including rice cakes and rice cereal
  • safflower oil
  • salt
  • sweet potatoes
  • white vinegar

According to a small 2021 study with 47 participants, children with ADHD may benefit from dietary measures such as excluding the following items:

  • food additives
  • gluten
  • eggs and dairy products, which is done in the few foods diet
  • foods high in salicylates, which is done in the Feingold diet
  • foods high in sulfates

The same study found that restricting carbohydrates may also help.

Researchers also noted that children with obesity had higher rates of ADHD than children without obesity and that these measures might help them reach a moderate weight.

A 2019 medical literature review found no clear evidence to support elimination diets or other dietary interventions for ADHD.

A 2022 review of studies found that elimination diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies and that there is little evidence to support their effectiveness.

Ultimately, it’s not recommended to follow diets like the Feingold diet and the few foods diet, as they are restrictive and not strongly supported by research.

Further, you may find it difficult or time consuming to implement a diet that excludes so many dietary staples.

Food is also a large part of social situations. Asking a child to follow a restrictive diet may cause them to feel left out. Most of the foods that are not allowed by the suggested diets are easily available at school, at friends’ houses, and other locations children may visit. This can make it difficult for your child to follow the diet.

The ideal dietary pattern for the majority of children and adults, with and without ADHD, is a diet that prioritizes whole foods and limits or avoids ultra-processed foods.

Foods to eat

Foods to limit or avoid

Following these guidelines can help you and your child maintain a moderate weight and get enough nutrients.

Research on diets for ADHD is mixed. Further, it’s generally not advisable to follow diets that restrict entire food groups.

Prioritizing whole foods such as fruits and vegetables and limiting ultra-processed foods is an ideal dietary pattern for most adults and children, whether or not they have ADHD.

If you feel that your diet is influencing your ADHD symptoms, talk with your doctor. They can recommend any dietary changes or refer you to a nutritionist or other specialist who can.