MM Diet
Have you ever watched a bunch of kids at a birthday party? One minute they’re calm, the next they’re bouncing off the walls? Let’s face it, it’s all down to food…
Foodsand moods
Hardly a day goes past when the media isn’t screaming about ‘bad’ foods, but which are the culprits that can affect your child’s mood?
Sugar Well, no doubt you’ve seen the latest headlines about sugar – and they certainly don’t make for comfortable reading! Sugar is actually one of the worst foods when it comes to your child’s mood. That’s because while, as glucose, sugar is an essential food for your child’s brain, overdoing it will not only affect their behaviour, but will also impact their ability to learn. High blood sugar levels are totally detrimental to the nervous system and to blood vessels, both of which will leave your child in a constant stage of agitation - what is commonly referred to as ‘fight or flight’. Too much sugar will lead to mood swings, poor sleep patterns and irritability. To make sure that your child’s blood
sugar levels stay on a balanced level, you need to remove as many of the fast- releasing sugars from their diet as possible. Replace white bread and pastas with the wholemeal versions and try mixing carbohydrate foods with proteins or other non carbohydrates. Small steps such as these should help them avoid blood sugar highs and lows.
Food additives Ugh! A quick glance at the ingredients of some foods - particularly processed foods - can sometimes resemble a chemistry lesson with so many scientific names and numbers. Among the worst are:
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) This is found in many noodles and ‘pasta with sauce’ products, quite a few crisp and savoury snack brands, some processed cheese products and prepared meals. Over the years, many people have complained about suffering headaches and nausea after eating foods containing MSG but, to date, scientists have not been able to find definite proof that there is a link. If in doubt, then check the ingredients of any foods you’re giving your child to ensure that you’re avoiding giving them MSG.
Quinoline yellow (E104) This very distinctive ingredient is a synthetic ‘coal tar' dye, which varies in colour between a dull yellow and greenish- yellow. It’s usually found in sweets and confectionery, smoked haddock, scotch eggs and some pickles, and is not recommended for consumption by children. E104 is already banned in the US, Japan, Australia and Norway, which really tells you all you need to know…
Brilliant blue (E133) Another major ‘no’ for consumption by kids! E133 is a blue synthetic coal tar dye,
42 Modernmum
High blood sugar levels are totally detrimental to the nervous system and to blood vessels, both of which will leave your child in a constant stage of agitation - what is commonly referred to as ‘fight or flight’. Too much sugar will lead to mood swings, poor sleep patterns and irritability
which is often used in conjunction with E102 to produce various shades of green. E133 is usually found in tinned processed peas, dairy products, sweets and drinks, and you’ll have no trouble spotting it on the shelves of sweet shops. It’s currently banned in even more countries than E104, with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland having already said ‘no’. If you feel that your child is experiencing
an intolerance or reaction to a particular ingredient, try isolating any foods that contain any of the above and exclude it from their diet. If you can’t find the trigger ingredient yourself, you should be able to find an allergy expert at a local health food shop or you could ask your GP to carry out the test.
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