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Feingold Diet
The Feingold Diet derives from the program suggested in the book “Why Your Child is Hyperactive“, first published in the 1970s by Dr. Benjamin Feingold, a pediatrician and allergist. He went on to develop and promote his dietary approach to helping children with learning and behavior problems, since categorized as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The Feingold Diet is based on the premise that allergic reactions or sensitivities to certain types of foods cause or contribute to ADD/ADHD symptoms, such as problems with:
- Behavior (marked hyperactivity, impulsive and compulsive actions, emotional concerns)
- Learning (short attention span, neuro-muscular difficulties, cognitive and perceptual disturbances)
- Health (physical complaints and/or sleep problems)
The full Feingold Program
How it functions
The Feingold Program is more comprehensive than a simple diet, and operates in two stages. Stage 1 eliminates chemical compounds in particular food additives, and salicylate compounds in certain foods (and non-food items such as fragrances – hence the name Program rather than Diet). See below for a list of items for elimination. Stage 2 involves identifying which salicylates (if any) can be tolerated.
Does it work?
Many ADD/ADHD sufferers who follow the Feingold Program have experienced great improvements in focus and behavior. There is a considerable (recent) research to back this up (see more).
Studies in the early nineties show that around 75% of children improve on a diet that restricts additives.
What it does
The Feingold Program eliminates these additives and chemicals:
- Synthetic coloring (are made from petroleum – crude oil)
- Artificial flavoring (combinations of many natural and synthetic chemicals – eg imitation vanilla flavoring or “vanillin” might originate from the waste product of paper mills). There has been little research carried on these chemicals.
- Artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, and TBHQ, made from petroleum; also termed “anti-oxidants” because they prevent or delay the “oxidization” of fats in foods, which make them rancid)
- Salicylates (a group of chemicals related to aspirin, which are a naturally occurring pesticide in particular food plants – see ‘Food sources of salicylates’ below; also manufactured and used in many products including medicines, perfumes and solvents). Only some are eliminated on the Feingold diet.
- Artificial sweeteners (only aspartame is eliminated)
- Other food additives considered undesirable (such as MSG, sodium benzoate, nitrites, sulfites) – these are not eliminated – but are noted in the food list.
Food Sources of Salicylates
Almonds, Apples, Apricots, Aspirin, Berries, Cherries, Cloves, Coffee, Cucumbers, Currants, Grapes, Nectarines, Oil of wintergreen, Oranges, Peaches, Peppers (bell & chilli), Pickles, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Rose hips, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tea, Tomatoes
A Staged Dietary Plan
A less rigorous approach than the Feingold Program, given that many studies have shown the sensitivity of some children to dyes, is to start by eliminating only those foods (and vitamins, drugs, and toothpastes) that contain artificial colorings.
If initial dietary changes have little benefit (i.e. excluding only dyes), try the complete Feingold diet. It is important to use a diet diary or journal.
If that doesn’t help, the Feingold Association recommends eliminating:
- corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and corn sugar (in soft drinks and other sweetened foods)
- MSG (monosodium glutamate) and HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which contains some glutamate)
- sodium nitrite (in luncheon meats)
- calcium propionate (in baked goods)
After several weeks, if the child’s behavior has improved, every few days restore one eliminated food or ingredient at a time. Repeat that two or three times if a problem occurs, to confirm that the food is really a culprit.
If the child’s behavior did not improve on the Feingold diet, try a “few-foods” diet, which involves more extensive restrictions (see Elimination diets). Studies show that some children are sensitive not just to food additives but also to such foods as:
- wheat
- eggs
- milk and other dairy foods
- chocolate
- soybeans/tofu
- corn products (including corn sugar and syrup)
Eliminate as many of those foods as possible, plus artificial colorings and other additives. Children can eat fresh meat and poultry, any vegetable (except corn and soybeans), fruits and fruit juices (but not citrus fruit/juice and not beverages normally consumed daily), rice, and oats.
Look here for recipes to use with The Feingold Diet.
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I pit this diet into practice in 1977 I will tell anyone who will listen it was by far the best thing I have ever done for my son and my family. Back in the dark ages before Internet (I would be dangous today with all the knowledge that I could find on the Internet today ) but I relied on the fiengold association for recipes and updated information. I’m sure most of my friends and family thought I was the crazy mom until they saw our son after he had eaten a food not on his diet. He would rip curtains down attack people and be self destructive to hisself and all the while he would be crying asking me to help him. He was two years old when first diagnoosed he stopped sleeping until he would be so exhausted he would fall asleep on the floor and u dare not move him are he would be up and running wild again. I found scented candles and fluorescent lighting had a huge affect on him. We stayed on this diet for ten years and the only regret I have is that we didn’t stay on it for life. As a matter of fact I am reinducimg this way of eating to our ffamilu again for my husband and myself but more so for my grandchildren and teaching their mother how to track the foods and keep a food diary on ebruthing they eat it sounds hard but it really is the key to know which food triggers what type of behavior. Ease do this for your child and your family you will not regret it it saved my sons life
I put my 5 yr old son on this diet in 1979, he was very hyperactive and not getting enough quality sleep. Within a couple of months his dimished hyperactivity was very noticeable and he was sleeping a good 2 to 3 hours longer at night. It was a Godsend.
We have been able to keep my daughter’s ADHD under control until just recently. We will be talking with the doctor and dietician tomorrow about trying to avoid medicine. She has done well with behavior modification until now. I just wish the Feingold program was more affordable.
We’ve been on Feingold for over a year now and the changes in my family have been amazing. Within one month of starting the diet, my then 3 year old son was a different child. He is now almost 5 and knows more about nutrition than any adult I know. At a recent Easter hunt, he opened the eggs and actually threw the colored jelly beans out because he knows they make him feel sick, keeping only the plastic eggs because those are “fun.” I urge you if you have children to go on this diet program for their long term health and not just to eliminate bad behavior. It is tough at first to learn how to do everything differently, but once you do it becomes second nature.
I am interested in doing this for both of my children. I discovered my youngest son who has ADHD symptoms is allergic to yellow 5 and his behavior improves when we eliminate Red 40. My other son who has had a brain injury and is on the autism spectrum does remarkably well without those toxins and with added fish oil to his diet. I can’t believe how much food is “fake”!!!! I want my children to be healthy. It is going to take a lot of time but it will be worth it!! I will keep you updated to our progress!
Thank you to all of you and your great comments this site has confirmed for me that getting my kids off their ADHD med Concerta is the best choice and put them on the Feingold diet Will change our life I cant wait and its spring break and NO SUGAR here starting today!
My son just started vyvanse for his adhd, we tried many herbs and supplements and the natural route, very hard with a 13 year old so I gave into him taking the meds, I need something to work. he is doing so badly in school. His diet is not bad, I make everything homemade, he eats vegetables, and we don’t eat fast foods. The side affects of the vyvanse is dry mouth, and he is a little irratable, I don’t see that it is working too well, he is 3 weeks into it and he is takin 20mg to start. I need some support from others to talk about this. any help would be wonderful. Thanks
I have a 6 year old that just started Atterol and it’s NOT working. This is the 3rd time we’ve switched meds and I’m frustrated beyond reason.I have been told the Attend is a very good product by a lady at the health foods store but it about $40 a month and I’m not sure if my little budget can keep up with that. This program sounds great but the cost is what gets me. If the information is SOO vital and important and “life-saving” to those with Add/ADHD then WHY is it so darn expensive. Why not just release it to the public for free…for the betterment of humanity. I’m mainly interested in the recipes anyway.
Very intetested in this diet for my 8yr old daughter
Im looking into this diet because of suspected personal health related issues that i am about certain are related to food. I can only imagine the impact it would have on my family for the better and it appears totally beneficial health wise ~ why would anyone WANT to consume sythetic chemicals or atrificial chemicals? Could anyone please tell me where to get a more precise food list? Ive printed this, but it would be very helpful… Thanx bunches
michael michaelson—You absolutely can be raw/vegetarian on Feingold. “Most” fruits and vegetables aren’t actually on the no-no list….only 3 vegetables are outlawed, and I’m sure you eat a wider variety than that already. It’s true that many fruits are eliminated in the first stage, but it’s surprisingly easy to find the good fruits—you may even expand your repertoire. Almonds are the only nuts that are proscribed; all other nuts are ok, as well as all seeds and grains. If you’re raw but still want the protein from animal products, raw milk and raw eggs are great sources of nutrients. Of course, if you don’t feel you need this diet, you don’t have to do it, but for kids like my son, it’s the only answer, Joker.
I am interested in learning about the diet.
Wait, so I can’t be a RAW foodist, then? Most fruits and vegetables are on the list of things I shouldn’t eat? How am I supposed to get all my nutrients and protien if I don’t eat meat and can’t eat almonds and fruits and some veggies? riddle me that, Batman, cause I wanna know so I can healthy.
Interested in all the info that I can get.
I like the Feingold diet I’m on it myself and have discovered that if I have peaches I forget things. If my sister has apples she gets more bossy, if my brother has grapes or anything he gets more annoying, and if my mom has anything bad she yells more.
Dietary changes are helpful but I would say personally the best thing I have used with my son is DMG-Behavior Balance.I have tried what seems like everything under the sun.
He went from bad reports every day,meetings at school to perfect reports every day for now a month now.Everyone is different but for my son we saw dramatic changes by day three on DMG-Behavior Balance.I would also recommend the supplements called Relax-a-Saurus by KAL and Pedia-Active.I started these two a couple weeks ago because they are have ingredients that relax,help focus.The winner by far is DMG-Behavior Balance if you try nothing else give it a try.If nothing else they will have immune system improvement and better oxygen utilization.
I was personally on the diet for many years in my childhood. Even though all of it didn’t personally work for me overall, the elimination of especially red dye number 40 (I think) was the most successful in the act of dealing with my ADHD.
Good luck to all those that are thinking of trying to use this method.
Okay. My husband was put on this program in the 1970s for Sleep/attention issues. My son is now having similar issues. We’ve gone ‘cold-turkey’ and removed artificial dyes, flavors and additives. Also, we’ve reduce to the point of eliminated sugar (most corn syrup) from his diet. We’ve also eliminated dairy and are limiting is soy. I have also added magnesium, and Omega 3 to his diet (they’re both calming vitamins)
We started this last Thursday and today, Tuesday, we’ve already seen tremendous improvement in his ability to focus and stay on task. He, also, doesn’t fidget as much and he’s calmer.
My suggestion is to find a good organic store, i.e. whole foods. If you can’t read the label. Food does not need to have artificial anything. Find items that don’t and choose them. Also, eliminate chocolate and sugar from the diet as much a possible.
Good Luck
I just learned of this and had a doctor give my son adderal. I am afraid to give it to him. Can anyone help me? This program seems to cost a bit more than I can afford to learn. Please help me anyway you can with info.
Thanks
how do you even know if you should start? and arer the dyes the most important part? I went through the foods we are currently eating and they arent that bad so maby this isn’t his problem..how will I know??
My son was one of the first to be put on the Feingold diet in the 1970′s. His and my life were hell for his first seven years because of his hyper-activity and extremely high IQ. The Feingold diet transformed our lives. It required my total commitment because there were very few additive free foods then. I cooked and prepared everything from scratch. He drank only water, had no sweets, nothing pre-packaged, home made yoghourt, mashed banana, raisins and honey every day for breakfast in the summer, home made porridge with honey in the winter. Home made cakes, jam, biscuits, everything. He was transformed into a wonderful, well-behaved but totally normal young lad, but with the added character of having great compassion, patience and care for other children with any difficulties, because of his own experience. He is now very happily married and heads up a computer company with over 50 employees. The diet changed our lives for good. All my cooking experience culminated in starting my own successful catering business. I’m now retired. Please put the effort in, this is your child’s life and future. It is really worth all the hard work. Nothing is more important and you WILL reap what you sow.
I discovered my son reactived to artificial colors over two years ago. It was challenging to find foods that did not have the colors but currently, more and more companies are using natural vegetable color-Head towards the organic foods, they are coming out with loads of fun kid foods without the artificial stuff. Keep checking the labels because they are hearing our voices.
I know this is an old posting, so I hope i’m not too late. Please, whatever trouble you think this diet will be to you, make the effort to learn. It is time consuming at first, but that is all. I did it 25 years ago and there is so much more available now. The book is so helpful. There are things like Cheerios and 7up that have always been free of additives. You will educate yourself very quickly and the benefits are so worth it. My son changed as night to day. He is now a corrections officer with his own apartment and his own busy life. I couldn’t have imagined that before we started this diet and the calm began. Take the time, you will be so glad that you did.
For Sheri re journaling == Use the Diet Diary Form provided in our Program materials (photocopy it). You just fill in the blanks. The reason it is important is simply because if you do not see fast dramatic results, this diary is often where the clues are. If you don’t feel up to doing the diary, then just don’t do it, at least not for now, and hope you won’t need it. Don’t let this stop you from starting the diet itself. Take the Foodlist with you to the store but don’t take the kids, even if you have to hire a sitter. Later, when you are more familiar with your brands, it will be different.
On the other hand, if your child is old enough, enlist his help and teach him to read labels and what to look for. He will learn to be his own best advocate.
I am considering this diet, but the journaling seems like an aweful lot of work. What foods don’t have those dyes and additives?
I am puzzled as to why splenda, sacharine and aspertame, which I did not see mentioned should ever be a part of ADHD or Autistic individual diet. Aspertame because it is a terrible toxin causing ceizures which are extremely dangerous.
Just an addition — more recently, all the synthetic sweeteners are eliminated on the Feingold Program (e.g., splenda, sacharine, neotame, etc.) except for alcohol sugars (e.g. xylitol, sorbitol, etc) which can be used in moderation as long as you are aware that they can be very laxative, and stevia which is acceptable.
If you think you need more than the Feingold Program or don’t want to use the organization’s materials, there is a Feingold Caveman Diet at http://www.caveman-diet.org which you can do yourself. It is free, and based on the organic foods that cavemen were likely to find available. Yes – and they all ate organic foods without benefit of health food stores! Just imagine!
The Feingold Association researches brand name foods and publishes books listing thousands of acceptable brand name products. They even publish a guide to fast food restaurants! Since 1976 Feingold volunteers have worked to make it all as simple as possible for the new family. Check out http://www.feingold.org for details on all of the resources available.
Judy-start in the Natural and Organic section of your grocery-then check all ingredient labels from there. Yellow 5 is even in some breads. FD&C red 40 is made from Arsnic (rat poison). Also-don’t take the kids shopping with you!!! It’s going to take a lot of time.
This diet seems great but I don’t know what foods to get my child that doesn’t have Yellow 5 and all of those additives. I need help trying to figure that part out.