Feingold diet

The Feingold diet is a food elimination program developed by Ben F. Feingold, MD to treat hyperactivity. It eliminates a number of artificial color and artificial flavors, aspartame, three petroleum-based preservatives, and (at least initially) certain salicylates. There has been much debate about the efficacy of this program. The mainstream medical establishment dismissed it as an "outmoded approach" lacking evidence and efficacy, however some medical practitioners, as well as many people living with and parents of children with ADHD, claim that it is effective in the management of ADHD as well as a number of other behavioral, physical and neurological conditions including . The debate has continued for more than 30 years, involving not only consumers and physicians, but scientists, politicians, and the pharmaceutical and food industries.

The Feingold Program

The Feingold Program eliminates three groups of synthetic food additives and one class of synthetic sweetener:

• synthetic colors (FD&C and D&C colors)
• synthetic flavors (several thousand different chemicals)
• synthetic preservatives (BHA, BHT, and TBHQ)
• artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Neotame, and Alitame)

The above-listed colorings and preservatives are made from petroleum. The word "synthetic" is used instead of "artificial" because not all...
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