The Feingold Diet In the 1970s, Benjamin Feingold M.D., a
pediatrician and allergist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center
in San Francisco, introduced an eating plan that he said could
help alleviate symptoms of ADHD. The Feingold Diet forbids
artificial food colors, flavorings, sweeteners, and
preservatives, as well as salicylates, naturally occurring
compounds found in some fruits and vegetables. Studies failed to
uphold Feingold's claims when he first made them, and most ADHD
experts still dismiss the Feingold diet as ineffective. Yet some
recent research suggests that the Feingold diet may be
beneficial to the 5 percent or so of children with ADHD who seem
to be sensitive to chemicals in food. One study, published in
the December 2004 issue of the Journal of Developmental and
Behavioral Pediatrics, analyzed 15 previously published studies
and concluded that artificial food colors can lead to
hyperactivity, irritability, and insomnia in some kids with
ADHD. Many parents use the Feingold diet with their kids