What Are Some Healthy Foods for a Hyperactive Child?

Hyperactivity is a challenging diagnosis for kids and families. In most ways, hyperactive children's diets should be like those of children who are not hyperactive. But some recent studies indicate that certain diet restrictions and additions can help hyperactive kids manage their symptoms.

As recently as ten years ago, food was not thought to actually affect hyperactivity in children. Then the Center of Science in Public Interest sponsored a review of all the relevant studies conducted by other scientists and discovered that the behavior of some hyperactive children worsened after they ingested certain food additives and preservatives.

Filling up on healthy foods will help kids stay away from foods that are filled with food coloring and preservatives like benzoate (a preservative linked to worsening behavior by a study in the Lancet from September 2008). That means eating lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains like wheat bread and air-popped popcorn, proteins like lean meat and peanut butter and low-fat dairy products like yogurt and cheese.

The best way to insure your child eats preservative and additive free foods is to eat an organic diet. Foods that are labeled "organic," as opposed to those labeled "natural" or "healthy," must follow strict guidelines and absolutely cannot have additives and preservatives. Eating organically, though, does not mean forcing your child to live on carrots. Most grocery stores carry organic macaroni and cheese, cookies, chips, meats and even ketchup. While some brands, such as Annie's, tend to be comparatively expensive, Stop and Shop's Nature's Own brand is actually quite reasonably priced.

Though your dentist might disagree, sugar is not the enemy. Anecdotal evidence provided by teachers and parents on Halloween aside, sugar has not been shown to worsen hyperactivity symptoms.

Grocery Stores: Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Stop and Shop and most other grocery store chains, local farmer's markets Online: Ulimana.com, Rejuvinative.com Brands: Annie's, Earth's Best, Nature's Own, Kashi