Why does fruit make my children hyperactive?

I have always followed a healthy diet and since having children i have made sure that they have fruit and vegetables. They both have a treat at weekend (maybe a milky bar or a piece of cake or pie). But i have actually noticed that when they consume certain fruit like grapes, apples and raisins my little girls seem to run around all day,don't sleep properley, scream shout and dont pay attention and have mood swings. I took these foods out of the diet for a week and i was amazed at how much they calmed down. Has anyone else ever noticed this in there children? I did an internet search and it said certain foods like i have mentioned above contain saliyclates (not sure of spelling).

Anybody else know why this is and is consuming a lot of fruit really that good for you? thankyou

Why does fruit make my children hyperactive?
It could be that they have an allergy or sensitivity to certain foods.



What a lot of people don't know is that the majority of behavioral problems in children actually stem from the food that they eat. Many early allergies cause moodiness and temper tantrums as oppose to sore tummys or hives.



I would talk to your pediatrician and/or get a referral to a nutritionist or naturopath or even an allergist, in the mean time, if a certain food creates a certain negative behaviour then avoid giving them that food in the meantime.
Reply:It is a myth that sugar causes hyperactivity. It is usually associated with exciting things such as birthday parties or other special days. Many simply behave as they have been told "sugar makes you hyper...you can't have_____". Chances are there are other factors involved.



Children are not supposed to be calm, they are supposed to be active. If your children behave as adults or even a couple years older than they are, they are probably not getting the proper amount of nutrients.
Reply:this is very common in ADHD kids too. This is a brilliant site that deals with this exact thing.

It is a site and book that tells you all you need to know.

the 2nd site deals with this inparticular.

I believe that pears is the only fruit to not contain them.



Apples are one of the worst fruits for this



some more

choose more fruit and vegetables from the lower end of the salicylate scale, such as traditional pears, potatoes, green beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, celery, lettuce, leeks, garlic, kidney beans and others, golden and red delicious apples, mangoes, carrots, corn and pumpkin, and avoid those at the highest end of the scale such as tomatoes, citrus, avocados, broccoli, grapes, sultanas, plums, prunes and silverbeet. For recipes with low to medium salicylates see the Failsafe booklet on www.fedup.com.au under FAILSAFE EATING.



· eat whole unprocessed fruit and vegetables rather than processed food with strong fruit or vegetable flavours, including juice, lollies, fruit yoghurts, soup stocks and sauces



· peel fruit and vegetables well to avoid the high concentrations of salicylates in the skin zone



· coffee is much lower in salicylates than tea, decaf is lower still



· we are currently experimenting with homegrown heirloom varieties of low acid yellow tomatoes, watch this space …



· use plain unperfumed soap, washing powder, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, cosmetics, toothpaste, skin cream, sunblock, household cleaners, no perfumes, no airfresheners, no aerosols, no cut flowers, see a suggested list in the Failsafe Booklet www.fedup.com.au



· avoid salicylates in many prescription and over-the-counter medications including aspirin, nonsteroidal antiflammatory drugs, many painkillers, oil of wintergreen and any medications or skin creams containing salicylates or with a warning for asthmatics in the Consumer Medicine Information sheet, arthritis creams, sports creams like Dencorub, Vicks Vaporub, teething gel and oral gels like Bonjela and Ora-Sed, wart removers, acne cleansers and wipes, some insect repellants. For a useful list of salicylate in medications see the following list but ignore the outdated advice about salicylate containing foods: www.pkwy.k12.mo.us/pierre/documents/Topi...
Reply:I've never heard of this before, but it does make sense in a way. Fruits are very healthy, but they are also full of natural sugars. Your kids probably have a low sugar tolerance. Maybe just feed them fruits with lower sugar content like grapefruits or nuts.
Reply:sugar is what makes kids hyperactive. I'd stick more to bananas and try different fruits to know what's happening exactly