To say that sugar is an ADHD cause sounds like an old wives' tale.
Most medical doctors will say so, and will cite several studies that refute the relationship between sugar and ADHD.
Some parents, however, have observed worse behavior after their children consume sweets.
This issue has ADHD experts so polarized that finally a group of scientists decided to set the record straight.
They gathered a group of children with ADHD and told their parents that sugary drinks would be given to the children.
The parents were asked to rate their children's behavior afterward.
However, the researchers only gave water to the children, and observed that some parents rated their children's behavior as worse.
The study thus shows that it is the parents' belief about sugar that makes them perceive a change in behavior - or so the researchers say.
Who is really right? In this article, I'd like to present a different perspective.
When Western medicine investigates a phenomenon, the conclusions are made after statistics are analyzed.
Our perspective, on the other hand, is interested in what happens in the individual.
Let's say a researcher gives sweets to 100 children and observes that only 10 have worsened behavior.
Since the majority of children do not show worsened behavior, his conclusion is that sugar does not cause ADHD.
Statistically speaking, he is correct - if sugar caused ADHD, then everyone in the world would have it! But he is missing the point.
The real issue is whether or not sugar causes ADHD, statistically speaking; the issue is that for the 10 children who are affected by sugar, removing it from their diet will make a world of difference.
So how exactly does sugar affect a child with ADHD? Before we discuss the effects of refined sugar, let us first examine the role of sugar in the human body.
The simplest form of sugar, glucose, is the primary fuel source of the brain.
In order for the brain to function at its best, it has to have a steady supply of glucose.
Glucose can be obtained from green vegetables and fruits, but most children would rather get their glucose from refined sugar in candy, cakes, cookies, and cereals.
Although these foods do provide some sugar, these are processed more quickly than natural sugar, producing a burst of energy that lasts only half an hour.
Once the sugar wears off, the child experiences what is known as a "sugar crash" - lethargy and loss of energy.
Eating refined sugar affects an ADHD child in another way.
Sweets and other junk foods are often said to have "empty calories.
" They are called "empty" because these foods provide only calories, but not a single nutrient or vitamin needed by the body.
Besides that, sugary foods require a lot of nutrients before the body can use up the calories they provide, which ends up depleting the child's nutritional base.
Most children with ADHD are deficient in key nutrients, and it looks like refined sugars may be the culprit.
Your child may benefit greatly from a low-carbohydrate, sugar-free diet if you think sugar may be worsening his or her behavior.
Monitoring your child's meals will take a lot of time and effort, but a diet change has brought remarkable long-term benefits to many children, without any side-effects whatsoever.
Consult a physician or nutritionist and ask for expert advice before putting your child on an ADHD diet.