| The Carbohydrate-Specific Diet was originally | | | | diet is designed to promote the growth of good |
| popularized by Elaine Gottschall to eliminate the | | | | bacteria like lactobacilli so the gut can digest and |
| symptoms of autism and other gastrointestinal | | | | absorb nutrients more efficiently. During the diet, |
| disorders, but experts recently discovered that | | | | all foods containing complex carbohydrates are |
| this nutritional regimen can also benefit children | | | | removed, and diet is restricted to simple |
| with ADHD. Gut flora and gastrointestinal problems | | | | carbohydrates like fructose and glucose or foods |
| are co-morbid conditions with ADHD, and it turns | | | | that contain no carbohydrates. This diet is |
| out that the Carbohydrate-Specific Diet can | | | | probably best for older children, since it needs to |
| normalize the gut flora ecosystem, drastically | | | | be strictly observed before any benefits can be |
| reducing symptoms of hyperactivity and | | | | derived from it. |
| inattention. This diet is not as widely used as the | | | | Below is a list of foods that your child can and |
| gluten-free, casein-free diet or the Feingold Diet, | | | | cannot eat on the Carbohydrate-Specific Diet. |
| because its strict requirements make it more | | | | Foods to eliminate: |
| difficult to implement. However, parents have | | | | Sugar. All processed sugars like table sugar, as |
| reported noticeable improvements where other | | | | well as molasses and sucrose. |
| diets failed to work. | | | | Vegetables. All canned and processed vegetables. |
| The rationale behind the Carbohydrate-Specific | | | | Grains and legumes. All grains like wheat, oats, |
| Diet is that the imbalance in gut flora is caused by | | | | corn, and soy, as well as some legumes like |
| the presence of complex carbohydrates from | | | | soybeans, chickpeas, and bean sprouts. |
| sucrose, lactose, and grains. These carbohydrates, | | | | Starchy foods. Starchy root crops like yams, |
| also known as disaccharides and polysaccharides, | | | | parsnips, and potatoes. |
| contain millions of units of sugar, as opposed to | | | | Meat. All processed meats, sausages, and canned |
| monosaccharides, which have only one unit of | | | | meats. |
| sugar. Children with ADHD may have trouble | | | | Dairy products. Most dairy products, including |
| breaking down complex carbohydrates efficiently, | | | | buttermilk, commercial yogurt, and sour cream. |
| and the undigested substances that remain in the | | | | Restrict cheese with high lactose content like |
| gut allow harmful bacteria like yeast to flourish. | | | | white cheese and mozzarella. |
| Since complex carbohydrates have millions of | | | | Miscellaneous. Other foods that must be eliminated |
| units of sugar, they also take a lot longer to | | | | include wheat-based products like pasta and |
| digest, which means glucose enters the | | | | bread, ice cream, canola oil, chocolate, balsamic |
| bloodstream too slowly to be utilized immediately. | | | | vinegar, commercial ketchup, commercial nuts, |
| The overgrowth of harmful bacteria also triggers | | | | commercial mayonnaise, and foods containing |
| an overproduction of mucus, which makes it even | | | | whey. |
| more difficult for the gut to heal itself and to | | | | Foods allowed by the diet: |
| break down undigested substances. | | | | Sugar. Honey only. |
| The aim of the Carbohydrate-Specific Diet is to | | | | Vegetables. Most fresh vegetables, including |
| break the cycle of harmful bacteria overgrowth | | | | lettuce, broccoli, carrots, onions, zucchini, and |
| and the ADHD symptoms it triggers by eliminating | | | | watercress. |
| complex carbohydrates. At the same time, the | | | | |