Salicylates are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables and are especially concentrated in raisins, nuts, apples, and oranges. They are also used as preservatives (such as BHT and BHA) or as the basis for artificial food colorings or flavors.

One of the issues of salicylates is that they stimulate the central nervous system (CNS). This means they increase the risk for hyperactivity, such as ADHD/ADD, and other mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, or aggressive behavior.

The National Institute of Mental Health convened a consensus panel that concluded that 8 to 10 percent of children with ADHD are sensitive to salicylates and benefit from the Feingold diet.

Shortly afterward, a study was done at the Hospital for Sick Children in London and published in the leading British journal, Lancet, which demonstrated that most children with severe ADHD are salicylate sensitive, but that 90 percent of these children have additional food intolerances. The conclusion is that the Feingold diet will not significantly benefit most children with ADHD because they have more than one type of food sensitivity.

Studies confirmed the presence of food intolerance in most children with ADHD and salicylate sensitivity. The foods to which children with ADHD most commonly had allergic reactions were cow’s milk (which included milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream), corn (an additive in many prepared foods), wheat, soy, legumes, and eggs. Altogether, 48 different foods were incriminated as triggers for hyperactivity.

Although salicylate sensitivity is not as common as dairy and wheat sensitivity, exploring food reactions should be an important part of every ADHD evaluation.

Artificial food colorings are widely used to color foods and beverages. The amount of artificial food colorings the Food and Drug Administration TDA has certified over the years has increased more than 5-fold from 1950 (12 mg/capita/day) to 2012 (68 mg/capita/day).

A 2004 meta-analysis supported the hypothesis that artificial food dyes promote hyperactivity and that sensitivity to these food colorings may not be limited to people with ADHD. The reviewer pointed out that most studies were done using doses of food dye far below what people may be exposed to in the real world.

Artificial food coloring is more of a public health problem than just an ADHD problem. Artificial food colorings are not a significant cause of ADHD, but they seem to affect children with or without ADHD. This can affect learning if you have a whole classroom full of kids under the influence of artificial food colorings and preservatives.

Many studies looked at the adverse behavioral reactions such as hyperactivity in children with artificial food colorings in the past decades. Studies that used 50 mg or more of artificial food colorings as the challenge showed a more significant negative effect on more children than those who used less.

Preservatives, such as BHA and BHT, are found in foods you routinely feed your family, like breakfast cereals, meats, butter, baked goods, and chips. Both preservatives affect the brain’s neurological system, change behavior, and have even raised cancer risks in animal tests.

Although they are “generally recognized as safe” by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration, BHA and BHT are considered dangerous. They are banned in many countries, including Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and throughout Europe.

A 2007 study, published in Lancet, found that food additives, particularly artificial food colorings and sodium benzoate, increased hyperactivity in 3-, 8-, and 9-year-old children, with or without ADHD.

In the study, 300 children were randomly given one of three drinks, either a potent mix of colorings and additives, a drink that roughly matched the average daily additive intake of a child of their age, or a “placebo” drink with no additives.

Their hyperactivity levels were measured before and afterward, and researchers found that the drink with the highest level of additives had a “significantly adverse” effect compared with the placebo drink.

After this study was published, the U.K. agreed that six artificial food colorings should be phased out from their food supply. It also mandated a labeling requirement, which warns consumers that the products “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

Sodium benzoate, another common additive in popular beverages, has recently been linked to ADHD. One study examined the relationship between sodium benzoate–rich beverage and ADHD-related symptoms in 475 college students. The study found that sodium benzoate–rich beverage intake was significantly associated with ADHD-related symptoms.

While in the United States, the FDA has been reluctant to ban or require a warning label on products containing artificial food colorings and additives, that decision has already been made in many European countries.

As food consumers in the U.S., we need to be diligent in reading food ingredients on food labels to avoid these toxic ingredients. The best strategy is to avoid processed food and beverages as much as possible.

Based on these findings, the Feingold diet only benefits those with salicylate-sensitivity. Avoid natural salicylate-rich foods may only help a small percentage of kids with ADHD. However, avoiding artificial food colorings and preservatives are still valid and beneficial for kids with ADHD.

Ok, there you have it…

I hope you find this information helpful. Let me know what you think and comment below.

Remember, ADHD does not doom your child to a life of under-achievement. You know your child is bright, full of potential, and deserves the best. In fact, many of the world’s most significant discoveries and inventions were made by people with ADHD.

If you’re just starting out on this natural ADHD treatment journey and still in the research phase, check out my new book Eat to Focus. Inside this book, you’ll learn why your ADHD child is always hungry, why he or she seems addicted to milk and bread, the underlying causes of ADHD, and the most effective ADHD treatment that addresses the causes to reduce hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and anxiety while improving focus and calmness in your ADHD child.

Don’t forget to download your free gift 15 Quick & Simple ADHD-Friendly Breakfast Ideas before you leave.

Feingold Association https://www.feingold.org/

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Stevens LJ, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Kuczek T. Amounts of artificial food colors in commonly consumed beverages and potential behavioral implications for consumption in children. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2014 Feb;53(2):133-40. doi: 10.1177/0009922813502849. Epub 2013 Sep 13. PMID: 24037921.

McCann D, Barrett A, Cooper A, Crumpler D, Dalen L, Grimshaw K, Kitchin E, Lok K, Porteous L, Prince E, Sonuga-Barke E, Warner JO, Stevenson J. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2007 Nov 3;370(9598):1560-7. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3. Erratum in: Lancet. 2007 Nov 3;370(9598):1542. PMID: 17825405.

Bateman, B. “The Effects of a Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Artificial Food Colourings and Benzoate Preservative Challenge on Hyperactivity in a General Population Sample of Preschool Children.” Archives of Disease in Childhood, vol. 89, no. 6, Jan. 2004, pp. 506–511., doi:10.1136/adc.2003.031435.

Schab, David & Trinh, Nhi-Ha. (2005). Do Artificial Food Colors Promote Hyperactivity in Children with Hyperactive Syndromes? A Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP. 25. 423-34. 10.1097/00004703-200412000-00007. 

NIH consensus development conference: defined diets and childhood hyperactivity. Clin Pediatr. 1982; 21: 627-630

Stevens LJ, Kuczek T, Burgess JR, Hurt E, Arnold LE. Dietary Sensitivities and ADHD Symptoms: Thirty-five Years of Research. Clinical Pediatrics. 2011;50(4):279-293.