10 Foods That Cause Inflammation And Make Behaviors Worse

By avoiding these 10 foods for their child’s autism, parents are noticing fewer behavioral problems, better grades, and an overall happier and healthier kid.

Many parents are turning to diet instead of drugs to help their kids manage conditions like ADHD, autism, anxiety, and other health challenges.  But Why? 

How can food have such an impact on children’s physical, mental, and emotional health and what does inflammation have to do with it? 

In this article, I will discuss:

  • The role of inflammation in the steady rise in pediatric health issues
  • How food can trigger inflammation
  • The top 10 foods that cause inflammation 

 

Image of child screaming and adult holding ears. Text: 10 Foods that cause inflammation and can make behaviors worse

Our Kids Are In Trouble

“By the year 2025, we expect 8 out of 10 kids will have some type of chronic health issue,” ~ Dr Elisa Song.

By The Numbers: 

Percentage Of Kids In The U.S. With Physical or Mental Health Challenges

  • 8% of have asthma
  • 8% of have food allergies
  • 11% of have ADHD
  • 18% of are obese
  • 18% of have a developmental disability
  • 20% of have a mental or behavioral disorder
  • 54% of have a chronic health condition

Doctors and researchers continue to look for a cause and many have identified common elements that may be helping to drive this trend. 

Possible Causes Of Pediatric Chronic Health Issues

  • Environmental Toxins (heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, air pollutants..etc)
  • Lifestyle Factors (lack of exercise, unhealthy eating, poor sleep, stress..etc)
  • Biological (nutrient deficiencies, dehydration, genetic susceptibilities..etc) 

The Common Link

While the list of ailments facing our kids today is as diverse as the kids themselves, there is one thing these conditions all have in common: chronic inflammation.

Notice the list of possible causes are all things that can spark inflammation. By reducing inflammatory triggers, we can help our kids start to feel better, and when they feel better they’re able to be better.

Image 2 kids baking: Text reads simplifying gluten and casein free. GFCF Family Class: Free Preview

They can concentrate and focus more in school. They can do more, focus is improved, irritability goes away,

Brain On Fire (Neuroinflammation)

When chronic inflammation occurs in the brain, it can severely affect your child. Brain inflammation, or neuroinflammation, is linked to ADHD, autism, OCD, ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) PANS/PANDAS…etc.

Some kids may not be diagnosed with one of these conditions, but they may often struggle with certain symptoms: anxiety, behavioral problems, depression, brain fog, sensory issues, headaches..etc.

All of these are linked to an inflamed brain. 

How The Gut Affects The Brain

Researchers now know that there is a direct relationship between the gut and the brain, (called the gut-brain axis). So, if the gut is inflamed, then it’s likely the brain is inflamed as well. 

At the very least, inflammation in the gut, can affect the way your child thinks and behaves. 

Leaky Gut: The Doorway To Foodborne Inflammation

The gut-brain axis is not the only way food can impact inflammation and our kids’ health. Toxins, infections, and partially digested foods can enter directly into the bloodstream via a leaky gut.

Essentially, leaky gut describes a condition where there are cracks in the lining of the gut (small intestine) that allows these things to “leak” through.  Once they enter circulation, the immune system sees them, tags them as a foreign substance, and mounts an attack to neutralize them (creating inflammation). 

In people with a healthy gut, these things are filtered out or neutralized by the liver, kidneys, and gut microbes and eliminated in the bathroom. However, it’s quite likely that kids with chronic health issues also have an unhealthy gut. 

10 Foods That Cause Inflammation

Now, you understand how food and inflammation can affect our kids behavior, cognition, and their overall health, let’s dive into the 10 most common foods that cause inflammation. 

Unfortunately, the majority of the food at the grocery store is inflammatory. If I made a list of everything to avoid, it would have hundreds of different foods. 

A better idea is to look at groups of foods and ingredients to keep to a minimum or eliminate completely.  

Top 10 Foods That Cause Inflammation

  1. Gluten
  2. Dairy
  3. Soy
  4. Sugar
  5. GMOs
  6. Artificial colors/flavors
  7. Artificial Sweeteners
  8. MSG
  9. Preservatives
  10. Vegetable/Seed Oils

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#1 Gluten

The biggest issue with gluten is that it actually causes leaky gut by signalling a molecule called zonulin. Zonulin’s job is to tell the body to open up the tight junctions in the gut. It does this in order to allow other molecules a way out of the gut. 

However, when this happens too often or if someone has a leaky gut, the spaces open up too wide allowing other things out too. Partially digested foods, toxins, and gut microbes are free to enter the bloodstream, overburden the liver, and cause the immune system to go into hyperdrive. (creating inflammation) 

This response can lead to antibodies against certain foods (aka food sensitivities), further damage to the gut health leading to nutrient deficiencies, digestive issues and more. 

Gluten is also often contaminated with glyphosate. Farmers spray their wheat fields with this herbicide to “dry out” the crop before harvesting. This effectively kills the plant, makes it easy for the farmer to harvest, but a fair amount of glyphosate remains on the wheat.  

Gluten and other grains often contain large amounts of mold toxins (called mycotoxins) that can disrupt the nervous system and cause inflammation. They make the perfect food source for mold and the way they’re stored prior to processing gives fungi an all you can eat buffet. 

Gluten is linked to:

  • Attention & behavior problems in some kids
  • Brain inflammation
  • Gut inflammation
  • Slow transit time (constipation)
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Thyroid issues (molecular mimicry)

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#2 Dairy

“I believe dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods in our modern diet, second only to gluten.” -Dr Amy Myers

Dairy is not well tolerated by a large portion of the population. The sugar in dairy, lactose gives many people GI symptoms and inflammation, but a bigger problem is with one of the dairy proteins: casein. 

Most kids with autism and most of us with chronic health symptoms have an impaired ability to digest and assimilate our food. It takes a great deal of time and energy for the body to digest casein, so it’s more likely that partially digested casein proteins can sneak through a leaky gut barrier.

When this happens it stimulates inflammation much the same way as gluten. Casein peptides can also be converted into opiate-like molecules that act on the same receptor sites as heroin.

This can lead to an addiction to dairy-based foods, and it’s one of the ways dairy can lead to behavior problems or a worsening of “autism symptoms”.

According to Dr Mark Hyman, 

Dairy Consumption can lead to:

  • Increased cancer risk
  • Increased fracture risk
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • Irritable bowel
  • Bloating and gas
  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Eczema
  • Acne

On a personal note, my wife’s lifelong athma essentially went away after she gave up dairy. She went from needing an inhaler every day of her life to not using one at all. Pretty remarkable!

I am a firm believer in a GFCF Diet. (gluten-free, casein-free), and I recommend all autism parents start here. 

In fact, a big reason why I started this blog was to help other parents learn how to do GFCF and to take away the overwhelm that comes with completely changing your family’s diet. (read more on the GFCF Diet here)

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#3 SOY

Soy has many of the same effects as gluten and casein (dairy), but it also has some other issues as well.  Soy is highly allergenic, may inhibit thyroid function, and is high in omega 6 fats, lectins, & other antinutrients.

Lectins In Soy

Soy (and other legumes, grains) contain high amounts of lectins. Lectins are “sticky proteins” that can bind to sugars or carbohydrate molecules and alter their function. 

There are many different types of lectins, and not all of them are bad. However, the lectins in soy (& grains) can wreak havoc on the immune system, the gut, and even the brain.

Lectins can also affect your gut health, alter the microbiome and cause leaky gut. Lectins may even help carry harmful compounds across the gut barrier and deposit them in any cell of the body.

Phytoestrogen

One of the biggest concerns with soy is its estrogenic content (phytoestrogen). The estrogen-like compounds in soy can interfere with normal estrogen in the body. 

This can lead to hormone imbalance, weight gain, fertility and reproductive issues, and may even increase cancer risk. 

If that’s not enough reason to avoid soy, it’s also a GMO crop, so it’s sprayed heavily with glyphosate. Soy is also linked to increased seizure rates and soy-based infant formula has been linked to autism as well. 

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#4 Sugar

We all know that high sugar intake can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and of course inflammation. 

High sugar intake can lead to unstable blood-sugar which can lead to behavioral issues in kids & mood swings and general grumpiness for parents.  Over time, unstable blood sugar and high sugar consumption can lead to insulin resistance.

Sugar has also been found to weaken the immune response to infections for several hours after eating, it can also trigger leaky gut and feed bad microbes in the gut. All of which lead to even more inflammation. 

Pathogenic bacteria and yeast prefer foods that are higher in sugar, so a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can alter the gut microbiome in their favor. 

Probiotic bacteria play a huge role in digestion, maintaining the gut lining, and preventing leaky gut. If the microbiome does not have enough of these good guys, you’re much more likely to have a poor digestion and leaky gut.  

This opens the door for toxins, infections, and partially digested foods to enter the bloodstream and spark inflammation every time your child eats. 

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#5 GMOs & Glyphosate

There are a number of unanswered questions when it comes to the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). 

It’s likely that these foods are causing immune disruptions and impacting gut health, but we don’t know for sure if altering genes in plants will affect our health Research is still in progress on this. 

However, my biggest concern with GMO foods is glyphosate. 

GMO foods are designed to withstand copious amounts of this herbicide and it is now so ubiquitous in our environment that there’s not a single place on earth not touched by glyphosate. But, what are the health effects of using this much glyphosate?

Health Effects Of Glyphosate

Research has shown that glyphosate (and other pesticides) in causes oxidative stress, chelates minerals, impairs detoxification and methylation. It’s likely playing a role in autism and other neuroinflammatory disorders too. 

Glyphosate alers the microbiome by killing off our probiotic microbes. It’s actually patented as an antibiotic & antimicrobial, so its effect on microbes are well known. 

There are trillions of microbes living in our bodies, and they play a major role in maintaining our health and more importantly, modulating the immune system. It’s easy to see how glyphosate can cause a myriad of health problems simply by altering our gut flora.

This is just a small sample of the effects glyphosate and GMOs are having on our health, but it clearly demonstrates the benefit of removing these foods from your family’s diet.

Glyphosate linked to:

  • Autism & ADHD
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Parkinson’s 
  • IBD & Colitis
  • Birth Defects
  • Cancer
  • Kidney disease
  • Lymphoma
  • Reproductive difficulties 

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#6 Artificial Colors & Flavors

Artificial ingredients have long been associated with problem behaviors & hyperactivity in children. However, these ingredients may drive even bigger health effects and inflammation. 

In the early 1970s, Dr Ben Feingold was one of the first people to suggest that artificial food additives were having an adverse affect on our children’s health. Dr Feingold personally helped improve the lives of hundreds of families in his practice and tens of thousands (at least) as a result of his efforts to teach the world about these additives. 

Food Additives and Childhood Health Affects

The Feingold theory states: 

“Hyperactivity can be triggered by synthetic additives – specifically synthetic colors, synthetic flavors and the preservatives BHA, BHT (and later TBHQ) – and also a group of foods containing a natural salicylate radical. This is an immunological – not an allergic – response.”

Hyperactivity is not the only problem for kids. Problems with attention, focus, behavior, anxiety, depression, and aggression can all be triggered or exacerbated by artificial colors and flavors in food and medicines. 

Not Just One Man’s Theory

It’s important to note that many research studies have confirmed the connection between these additives and childhood mental and physical health issues. Just click through some of the links at the end of this page to see for yourself.

Inflammation & Artificial Food Additives 

Artificial colors and flavors do not just affect our children’s behavior, nor do they only affect kids. Consumption of these ingredients can trigger an inflammatory cascade that can lead to leaky gut, asthma, allergies, autoimmune conditions, and even cancer.  

How Artificial Colors Impact Our Health

Food coloring can bind to our tissues. Once this happens, the body cannot distinguish that tissue from friend or foe, and the immune system may begin to attack our own tissue. Over time, this can lead to food sensitivities, organ damage, or autoimmunity.

When coloring binds to protein in food, the digestive system cannot properly digest that food resulting in gut inflammation, leaky gut, and GI symptoms (gastrointestinal). 

Why Did The FDA Approve Artificial Colors

The FDA originally approved food coloring made from coal tar or petroleum because it was believed that the body does not absorb these ingredients. However, just look at your fingers after dying Easter eggs or look at your child’s tongue after they had a piece of candy. 

There have even been autopsies that found entire colons dyed blue thanks to food coloring, so I think it’s pretty clear that the body might be absorbing these chemicals. 

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#7 Artificial Sweeteners

There are 6 artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA. Many of them can trigger inflammation and serious health conditions ranging from migraines and weight gain to brain damage and cancer. 

Most research on artificial sweeteners are animal-based studies, so no scientific consensus exists as to their safety. However, the short-term symptoms are universally accepted (migraines, rashes, bloating, blood sugar spikes…etc) and at the very least should show us they do indeed  cause inflammation.  

  1. Saccharin (Sweet N Low): Liver damage, bladder cancer
  2. Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal): Cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, brain damage, 
  3. Sucralose (Splenda): Cancer, toxic metabolites,
  4. Ace K (Sunnett, Sweet One): DNA damage in high amounts

Aspartame: The Worst Of The Worst?

Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) is linked to a long list of health conditions and may be the most controversial artificial sweetener of them all. It’s broken down into aspartic acid,  phenylalanine, and methanol. 

Methanol can be further metabolized into formaldehyde, a known toxin and carcinogen. 

Aspartic acid is the component that makes aspartame an excitotoxin (will get to this when we cover MSG), and it’s likely responsible for affecting our kids’ behavior. 

Artificial Sweeteners & Gut Health

New research now shows how artificial sweeteners may be detrimental to our gut health and microbiome. 

The studies revealed dramatic reductions in the good gut bacteria and some sweeteners even increase pathogenic and inflammatory microbes. All FDA approved sugar-free sweeteners were studied and all showed negative changes to the microbiome. 

We know how important gut microbes are in maintaining gut health, digestion, detoxification, and modulating the immune system. When bad bacteria outnumber the good guys, our overall health declines and we can develop serious chronic health issues if it is not corrected. 

Bottom Line:

Artificial sweeteners likely cause inflammation, are linked to a variety of health issues, and  growing concern over the impact on gut health give us plenty of reasons to remove them for our family’s diet.  

However, artificial sweeteners are implicated in more serious conditions ranging from nutrient deficiencies, anemia, depressed growth, seizures, and cancer.

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#8 MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is one of the most potent excitotoxins in our food. It’s added to food as a flavor enhancer in order to make us think the food we are eating tastes better than it actually does.

Glutamate is a neurotransmitter our body needs. Too little can lead to trouble concentrating, but too much can lead to damaged nerve cells. 

When there is too much glutamate, it becomes an excitotoxin which means it essentially excites your neurons. In the short-term, this can lead to behavior problems, hyperactivity, and other issues in our kids. Long term consumption of MSG (and other excitotoxins) can bring about serious health issues. 

Glutamate or glutamic acid is found in plenty of natural foods like chicken, walnuts, beans and many more. These are typically not an issue for people because it’s often bound by a protein and thus not easily absorbed.

However, when we consume MSG, the body quickly “frees” the glutamic acid and it becomes free glutamate, which is easily absorbed. It’s in this form where it can potentially become toxic and cause inflammation. 

Research on MSG is contradictory. Many of the studies saying it’s safe were funded by the food industry, so we have to take those with a grain of salt. Other studies have connected MSG to endocrine disruption, autism, schizophrenia, dementia, and other neurological conditions. 

MSG & Autism

MSG may create even more problems for kids with autism. It’s well known that the autism population has a dysfunction in regulating glutamate, which leads to way too much of the excitatory glutamate in the brain. 

When kids with autism eat foods high in excitotoxins, they may exhibit symptoms such as hyperactivity, aggression, anxiety, self-injurious behaviors, changes or increases in stimming behaviors, and be unable to sleep well. 

Excitotoxins are linked to neuroinflammation, and the interaction between inflammatory molecules and excitotoxins may actually cause brain changes similar to that in a person with autism. 

Bottom Line:

While the research is inconclusive, again, one thing is clear: MSG-containing foods cause inflammation, so you definitely want to be removing all unnatural sources. 

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#9 Preservatives

There are several different FDA approved preservatives used in food. Obviously, they are used to keep from spoiling, but at the same time, studies show that many of them are causing inflammation and leading to serious health effects. 

Take a look at the most common preservatives used in foods below. The research shows us that many of them are causing acute symptoms, which is a sign of inflammation. Long-term consumption can lead to more serious health complications. 

Common Preservatives “Groups” To Avoid

Sulfites: 

For the most part it seems the biggest concern with these preservatives is for people who have issues processing sulfur or are sensitive to sulfites. 

Symptoms can range from headaches, low blood pressure, skin rashes, respiratory problems including asthma, allergy-like symptoms, and GI pain and discomfort. 

Often listed as sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, sulfur dioxide

Nitrates/Nitrates: 

These chemicals can break down into nitrosamines, which are linked to cancer, thyroid problems, lung disease, and they may interfere with oxygen in the blood.

Often listed as  sodium nitrite, nitrate, nitrite…

Sodium Benzoate

This preservative has been associated with hyperactivity and ADHD, but sodium benzoate also has the potential to cause serious health problems. 

In the presence of ascorbic acid or citric acid and various minerals, benzoate can be broken down into the highly toxic chemical: benzene

Benzene is a tightly regulated chemical and the U.S. EPA classifies it as a known human carcinogen. Chronic exposure to benzene can lead to blood disorders, reproductive problems, birth defects, and increased risk of miscarriage.

Often listed as benzoic acid, potassium benzoate, benzoate.

BHA/BHT

BHA is classified as a known carcinogen under California’s Prop 65 while the European Union tags it as an endocrine disruptor. It can also cause reproductive and fertility issues at higher doses. 

Studies have linked BHT to cancer, thyroid problems, developmental and behavioral effects.

BHA & BHT are often used together and are oxidants which will at the very least, create inflammation and cause you to use up your antioxidants too quickly.

Often listed as BHT/BHA

Propionic Acid

A 2019 study, linked the rise in autism to the preservative propionic acid. This study demonstrated the preservative’s ability to trigger neuroinflammation, disrupt the ability of neurons to communicate, and it’s potential to cause mitochondrial dysfunction. 

Often listed as calcium propionate, sodium propionate

Best To Avoid All Preservatives

The chemicals listed above is just a sampling of the FDA-approved preservatives and their potential effects on inflammation, behavior, and health. 

There is no nutritional benefit to consuming any preservative and most of them have the ability to trigger inflammation, so it’s best to avoid all as much as possible. 

One last note on artificial ingredients

Renowned autism nutrition, Julie Matthews writes in her book, Nourishing Hope For Autism, 

“I would strongly urge you to remove artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives from the entire family’s diet. They are completely unnecessary, toxic to everyone (in varying degrees), and add further burden to already stressed livers.” ~ Julie Matthews

Foods That Cause Inflammation

#10 Vegetable & Industrial Seed Oils

Old thinking was that these types of oils offered a heart healthy fat, but research today is clearly showing a link between inflammation and vegetable (corn, soy) and industrial seed oils (like cottonseed, safflower, canola). 

These oils are unstable, oxidized (damaged) and harmful solvents like hexane are used to extract the oils from the plant/seeds. Because the oils are oxidized and unstable, manufactures have to add preservatives, like the ones mentioned above, to stabilize them and extend their shelf life. 

The most obvious reason not to give these oils to your family is the high amount of omega 6 fatty acids. 

We all know that the omega 3 fats (from fish and grass fed animals) are anti inflammatory and great for the brain. Omega 6s block the body’s ability to use the healthier omega 3s, and they are highly inflammatory.

Fat is critical to a child’s rapidly developing brain and body. They even need some omega 6s, but from stable unoxidized sources like soaked or sprouted nuts and seeds. 

For more on Omega 6 Fats, check out this interview I did with renowned nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman. Also, to see this in-depth article written by Chris Kresser discussing how industrial oils are driving inflammation.

In Conclusion

Food can either help or hurt the body.

Remember, any food that triggers inflammation may affect the way your child thinks, feels, and/or behaves. 

These are 10 of the most common sources, but any food can cause inflammation if you’re sensitive to it. I recommend finding a qualified doctor to help you identify food sensitivities and any other foods that cause inflammation for you or your child. 

Our kids eat 3-6 times a day, so that is 3-6 opportunities to either spark inflammation or soothe it. Knowing which foods to avoid can make a huge difference in our children’s health.

I recommend everyone start with a simple GFCF Diet (gluten-free, casein-free: or gluten-free, dairy-free diet) and then start eliminating these other foods that cause inflammation. 

If you need help on how to do this, click here to see my articles on GFCF, or feel free to reach out to me. I am happy to help. 

Help With A GFCF Diet

Find a qualified doctor:

 

little girl crying with mom sitting behind looking stressed, text: Want a calmer, happier, and healthier kid? Get rid of these 10 foods

 

References/Further Reading 

Foods that cause inflammation

Gluten

Dairy

GMOs & Glyphosate

Soy 

Sugar & Inflammation

Artificial Flavors & Colors

Preservatives In Food

Sulfites

Sodium Benzoate

Propionic Acid

Artificial Sweeteners

Saccharin/Sweet N Low:

Sucralose

Aspartame

Gut Health & Artificial Sweeteners

Glutamate & Autism

Vegetable Oils

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