The role of salicylate (aspirin-containing) foods in hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD) in children was first put forward by Dr Ben Feingold. He claimed dramatic results from a diet free of these foods.
Feingold diet 1: Foods Containing Salicylates
All fresh meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, cereals & bread are low in salicylates.
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LOW
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MODERATE
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HIGH
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VERY HIGH
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FRUIT
Golden delicious apples, banana, pears peeled, paw-paw |
FRUIT
Red delicious apples, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemon, mango, passion fruit, pear with skin, persimmon, rhubarb, tamarillo, watermelon |
FRUIT
Apples (Granny Smith, Gala), cherries, lychee, mandarin, peach, tangelo |
FRUIT
Apricots, berry fruits, grapes, orange, plum pineapple, rock melon, All dried fruit – dates, prunes, sultanas, raisins, etc. All jams, jellies, marmalade, fruit juices |
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VEGETABLES
Bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, brussel sprouts, cabbage (green & red), celery, chickpeas, chives,choko, kidney beans,leeks, lentils, lettuce,lima beans, peas (fresh & dried), potatopeeled, shallot, swede |
VEGETABLES
Asparagus, beans green, beetroot, carrot, cauliflower, kumera, marrow, mushroom, onion, parsnip, potato unpeeled, pumpkin, sweetcorn, turnip |
VEGETABLES
Alfalfa sprouts, broad beans, broccoli, cucumber, egg plant, spinach, watercress |
VEGETABLES
Capsicum, courgette, gherkin, olive, radish, tomato, all tomato based foods – tomato sauce, baked beans etc. |
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OTHER FOODS
Garlic, parsley, soy sauce, malt vinegar, cashew nuts, poppy seeds, cocoa, carob, sugar, golden syrup, chocolate, camomile tea, dandelion coffee, tonic water, gin, vodka, whisk |
OTHER FOODS
Nuts, coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, beer, cider, sherry, brandy |
OTHER FOODS
Honey, marmite, vegemite, coffee, wine, port, fruit teas |
OTHER FOODS
Herbs & spices, white vinegar, Worcester sauce, tea, peppermint tea, rum, liqueurs |
Feingold later improved the diet by eliminating food additives and colourings (the notorious yellow-orange dye tartrazine is related to salicylates). This gives better results.
FEINGOLD DIET 2: Common Dyes And Benzoates
- E102
- Tartrazine.
- E107
- Yellow 2G.
- E110
- Sunset Yellow – cordials, custard.
- E123
- Amaranth.
- E124
- Ponceau 4R – red berry & cherry flavours, jellies.
- E151
- Brilliant Black – black currant flavours, sauces.
- E155
- Brown HT – chocolate flavourings, sauces.
- E210, 211, 212, 213
- Benzoates (preservatives) – fruit juices, drinks.
- E220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 228
- Sulphites (preservatives and bleaches) – wines, sausages, fruit juices, flours, pickles.
- E310, 311, 312
- Gallates (antioxidants) – oils and fats.
Try the salicylate/colourings-free experiment on your child if you feel like it. However, I think Feingold’s approach is over-rated. Some children do improve. But many ordinary foods are capable of causing brain allergy and hence hyperactivity. It is restrictive to confine the evaluation to chemical targets only. A much sounder approach is to follow the full elimination/challenge program given earlier in this section.