What You Should Know
Certain diets have been linked with certain physiological side effects, such as jitteriness and hyperactivity. For example, artificial colorings and flavors have been associated with hyperactivity and ADHD, an increasingly common disorder found in many young children. The Feingold diet was developed by Dr Ben F. Feingold, MD, in order to help reduce levels of hyperactivity in young children, as well as in some adults. The program encourages users to cut out artificial additives, such as colors, flavors, and sweeteners, as well as artificial preservatives. Certain other types of foods containing particular sweeteners are also discouraged on this diet.
List Of Ingredients
Users on this diet eat from a range of different foods so long as they do not contain ingredients and preservatives such as FC&C and D&C colors, synthetic flavors, synthetic preservatives, and the artificial sweeteners aspartame, neotame, and alitame.
Product Details
The Feingold diet is detailed in a product called the Feingold Cookbook, which retails for $85 , and which details dietary management, examines the scientific basis for the claims made by the program, offers a list of forbidden food, and includes recipes and menus for both hyperactive children and their families.
Advantages
- May help reduce negative side effects associated with a poor diet
- Encourages the consumption of healthy foods
- No supplements are required for purchase
- Is a sustainable approach to dietary change
Disadvantages
- This program is not necessarily designed to encourage weight loss
- Whether the program is effective is under dispute by medical professionals
Conclusion
The Dr Feingold Diet was designed as a way to help parents cope with children suffering from hyperactivity or associated disorders such as ADHD. The program works under the assumption that certain chemicals and sweeteners are associated with poor behavior, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating, and that removing these additives from an individual’s diet can help to mitigate these problems. However, the effectiveness of this program is disputed by a number of people in the medical community who question whether following the Feingold diet will actually result in improved outcomes. However, while the Feingold Diet potentially has benefits for those with hyperactivity disorders, it is not designed as a way to promote weight loss, although is used in addition to healthy exercise and a calorie controlled meal approach, it may result in some weight loss. Given the fact that the program outlaws traditionally high-calorie foods such as soft drinks and many sweets and chocolates, it is possible that weight loss may occur, although this will be a secondary outcome. Those looking to lose weight should be aware that this product is not a weight loss handbook, and may be better off seeking out another product that is more specifically designed for their weight loss needs.
The Feingold Program does not “outlaw” soft drinks, chocolate, or any other high-calorie foods – but only those containing the additives that trigger symptoms. This diet has nothing to do with weight loss per se. On the contrary, many picky eaters improve their appetite on this diet and gain weight. Also, the colorings are called FD&C, not FC&C – just a typo perhaps?
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