ADHD Science & Strategies

Build a Better Relationship with Food to Benefit Your Brain

Man cutting a bell pepper in his kitchen.

Is Healthy Eating Difficult with ADHD?

A healthy relationship with food is part of a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, ADHD is associated with unhealthy eating patterns, a relationship that may be due to symptoms that impede and impair individuals’ ability to make healthy decisions around food.1 Lower levels of dopamine may also play a role; some individuals may seek stimulation in foods, especially dopamine-boosting ones like simple carbohydrates and foods high in refined sugars.

Executive dysfunction associated with ADHD is another factor. Planning meals, making decisions around food, and paying attention to food consumption can be overwhelming to a brain with poor executive functioning. Another impacted skill is self-awareness; differentiating between feelings of hunger, boredom, anxiety, and satiation can be a challenge.

Despite these factors, improving your relationship with food is possible.

[Free Download: Brain Food: Healthy Eating Tips to Counter ADHD Symptoms]

The Basics: Foods and Nutrients to Go For

[Read: Healthy Eating Habits for Impulsive, Dopamine-Starved ADHD Brains]

Mindful Eating Tips

Mindful eating — as opposed to mindless eating — is the practice of paying full attention to the experience of eating, using all your senses to notice the taste, texture, smell, and appearance of food, as well as how it makes your body feel. It involves being as present as possible during meals, eating slowly, and recognizing physical hunger and fullness cues.

Behavioral Strategies

The content for this article was derived from the ADDitude Expert Webinar “Eat This, Not That: Healthy Eating Habits for a Healthier ADHD Brain” by Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D. (podcast episode #332), which was broadcast live on November 10, 2020.

Healthy Eating: Next Steps


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View Article Sources

1 Pinto, S., Correia-de-Sá, T., Sampaio-Maia, B., Vasconcelos, C., Moreira, P., & Ferreira-Gomes, J. (2022). Eating Patterns and Dietary Interventions in ADHD: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204332.

2Hawkey, E., & Nigg, J. T. (2014). Omega-3 fatty acid and ADHD: blood level analysis and meta-analytic extension of supplementation trials. Clinical psychology review, 34(6), 496–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2014.05.005

3 Baroni, L., Sarni, A., & Zuliani, C. (2021). Plant Foods Rich in Antioxidants and Human Cognition: A Systematic Review. Antioxidants, 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10050714.

4 Aleksandrova, K., Koelman, L., & Rodrigues, C. (2021). Dietary patterns and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation: A systematic review of observational and intervention studies. Redox Biology, 42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2021.101869.

Updated on May 9, 2025

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