The Best Diet for a Child With Anxiety

Dietary practices can significantly influence children's anxiety. Children are undergoing rapid growth and development so they have demanding nutritional needs. Further, they have not had time to develop tolerances and therefore may be more sensitive than adults to certain foods, additives and substances. Manage children's anxiety by avoiding foods that trigger anxiety responses and incorporating foods into their diet that enhance and stabilize nervous system, metabolic, cardiac, circulatory and endocrinological health.

Foods to Avoid

• Food allergies and sensitivities can induce anxiety symptoms by directly affecting physiological systems involved in the anxiety response (e.g., by increasing heart rate) or by creating a stress response, which then triggers anxiety. Use an elimination diet to identify foods that worsen anxiety. Remove all foods from the diet that might possibly exacerbate anxiety. Then, one by one, add foods back into the diet, carefully monitoring anxiety levels. If your child does not respond with anxiety, then that food can remain in the diet.

  Foods that can trigger anxiety include wheat products, refined sugar, dairy products, processed and manufactured food, foods with artificial colors, flavorings, monosodium glutamate (MSG), corn, soy, eggs, nuts, shellfish and foods that contain salicylates such as almonds, apples, apricots, berries, cherries, cucumbers, currants, oranges, peaches, peppers, plums, prunes and tomatoes.

  Avoid caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic, circulatory and cardiopulmonary systems, stimulating anxiety. Children are drawn to many snacks and beverages that contain caffeine, including varied popular sodas, hot chocolate, energy drinks and chocolate.

  Avoid salty and fatty snack foods and foods with processed sugar. These foods can briefly improve mood but then cause a refractory blood sugar crash and hypoglycemia.

Dietary Practices to Enhance Well-Being

• Have your child eat foods throughout the day that enhance metabolic stability. Provide a diet low in simple carbohydrates (e.g., simple sugars), high in complex carbohydrates and high in proteins. Foods that provide protein include beans, cheese, eggs, meat and nuts. Promote fresh fruits and vegetables. These provide complex carbohydrates that stabilize blood sugar levels and increase serotonin levels in the brain, enhancing mood and well-being.

  Assure that each meal is well-rounded and includes foods from the main food groups of carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, proteins and dairy. Use brown rice and whole grain products instead of white rice and bread.

  Include foods that contain tryptophan such as bananas, milk, nuts, oats, peanut butter, poultry, sesame seeds and soy. Tryptophan helps the brain produce neurotransmitters that enhance mood and relaxation.

  Include foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids such as tuna, salmon, herring walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive and canola oil.

  Help your child maintain stable blood sugar levels by promoting healthy snacks of fruits and vegetables. Enhance motivation to eat these foods by preparing the food in fun ways. For example, cut apples into slices and arrange them like flower petals around a dip of nonfat yogurt or peanut butter.

  Have your child drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

  Have your child take a children's 100 percent multivitamin and mineral supplement on a daily basis.