Playing Food Detective: Latest Update

It has been a month now since we started the Feingold Diet, stage one. Which for us, in addition to our already GFCF—mostly organic—no artificial ingredients--no preservatives—“Hippy Dippy”—“Granola Head” lifestyle really just boiled down to cutting out apples, peaches, tomatoes, and berries. For us, the biggest hardship has been the tomatoes. We really have missed those. The Prince, to tell you the truth, has not seemed to really have noticed anything. He has mentioned ketchup in passing, but accepted my feeble excuse that the store had run out. But that was his only comment. Pears have been happily accepted as a substitute for apples with no problems. Mangos for peaches. Aside from cranberry juice, the Prince has never really cared much for berries or grapes, so that was not a problem either.

Also, since we had to eliminate O’Soy yogurt due to the change in their ingredients and I have not found a good substitute yet, the Prince has not had much soy except for a little soy cheese. Soy has nothing to do with the Feingold “ADHD” theory, but is perhaps related to the GFCF “opiate” theory, as soy seems to also affect those with casein sensitivity.

The outcome? He is less hyper and a little more focused. Still more hyper than in the past, but clearly less than when we started this. The Professor is convinced he also has a "longer fuse" and recovers more quickly from frustration. I tend to agree; though the hyperactivity had been my main concern, this new "maturity" with regard to frustration level is surely a nice effect.

So now what? The Feingold or any elimination diet approach is to add back one item we had removed and see what happens. Frankly, part of me just doesn’t want to go there. Except, I hate eliminating so many things if I don’t have to. But I also hate watching the Prince’s food intolerance reactions.

I think I’ll try tomatoes first, since that is what I miss the most! And actually, the Prince didn’t eat tomato products that much, maybe ketchup or tomato sauce on pasta or pizza a few times a week. My hunch is the problem was probably either the soy, or the apples and peaches. Since school started, he used to have apples or peaches (in juice, fresh fruit, smoothies, mixed in soy yogurt) every day. I’m thinking that might have been the trouble.

My hypothesis is that the key may be a “critical mass” kind of thing. He might be able to have a few slices of apples once a week, but not every day. Another mom I know has a theory that her daughter cannot eat “red” foods. For her daughter, green apples are ok, red are not. Green grapes are ok, red are not. I haven’t checked the food chemistry on this, and this mom is only saying this is what works for her child, she is not purporting any special theory or diet, but her observations sound as if they may be related to salicylate levels too, a Feingold-related idea.

I don't mean to complain, but you know what I hate about all this? Eating is supposed to be spontaneous, joyous, fun. Like Remy in the Pixar movie "Ratatoille" who is coincidentally one of the Prince's newest heroes. Not that eating still isn't wonderful and full of new challenges and tastes, but I actually hate this detective stuff. I like to watch detectives and mysteries on tv. In real life, not so much!

What would Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple do next? Any ideas, fellow parent food detectives?

(Miss Marple Photo from PBS Mystery! Series)