Hyperactivity can be due to too much sugar in the diet (and remember that foods like pasta, bread, crackers, rice all provide glucose to a body). It can also be the form of sugar that is the problem; or that the diet is overbalanced in certain food groups; or abnormal glucose metabolism.
A study of 265 hyperactive children found that more than three quarters of them displayed abnormal glucose tolerance– that is, their bodies were less able to handle sugar intake and maintain balanced blood sugar levels.
If the levels of glucose in a child’s blood seesaws continually then it can trigger wild fluctuations in their levels of activity, concentration, focus and behaviour. These, of course, are also the symptoms of ADHD.
Side effects? If sugar consumption is high and it is withdrawn suddenly, withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and irritability may ensue. Better to make gradual reductions to avoid this, without losing sight of the eventual goal of a low sugar diet.
Image source: pixabay.com
