“Gut health” is all the rage these days, with wellness influencers pushing supplements and juices and, let’s face it, snake oil. We know gut health is important and that there may be correlation between the biggest ecosystem in your body and your ADHD, but let’s dig into the science.
A lot of the communication from the gut to the brain is due to Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs). You may have heard of their names: butyrate, acetate, and propionate. SCFAs are produced when gut bacteria ferment fiber and resistant starch. They also:
- Reduce gut inflammation
- Strengthen the intestinal barrier
- Influence brain function and immune signaling
We consistently see that people with ADHD have altered levels of SCFAs, which usually indicate increased gut issues and potentially worsened mental health. A 2023 study on 35 kids noted an increase in a particular microbe that may lead to so-called “leaky gut”, a theorized (but not recognized by medical professionals) condition that essentially means the lining of the gut is letting things pass through when it shouldn’t.
Whether you have intestinal hyperpermeability or not, research suggests that people with ADHD may benefit from improving SCFA production.
Here’s the great news—You don’t need a major diet overhaul to start seeing benefits! Here are seven ADHD-friendly ways to support your gut microbiome, and in turn, sustain your focus, mood, and energy.
Foods to Support Your ADHD Gut
1. Eating the Rainbow – Ideally, 30 different plants a week
The more diverse your plant intake, the more diverse your gut microbiome. Different types of fibers feed different types of bacteria—especially the kinds that make SCFAs like butyrate, acetate, and propionate.
- Why it matters: Gut bacteria that produce SCFAs tend to thrive on plant fibers. These SCFAs have been linked to healthier dopamine and immune function, both of which are relevant in your ADHD brain.
- Try this: Don’t aim for perfect, aim for variety and adventure! Even rotating through three different vegetables or whole grains each week makes a difference.
2. Include Prebiotic-Rich Foods
Prebiotics are types of fiber your body can’t digest, but your gut bacteria love them. They’re found in foods like onions, garlic, oats, green bananas, leeks, asparagus, and legumes.
- Why it matters: Prebiotics specifically fuel SCFA-producing bacteria. Over time, that can support a more balanced gut-brain connection.
- Try this: Next time you make soup, add plenty of onions, garlic, and lentils
3. Try Eating 1 Fermented Food A Day
Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and tempeh contain live microbes (probiotics) and beneficial metabolites that may help shape the gut ecosystem.
- Why it matters: While fermented foods don’t colonize your gut permanently, they may support SCFA production indirectly by interacting with your existing bacteria.
- Try this: Next time you make a protein shake, instead of just milk, add a bit of kefir or Greek yogurt.
4. Focus on resistant starch vs. regular starch
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that behaves more like fiber. You don’t digest it, but your gut bacteria do. Resistant starch happens when you cool down your starches—think cold pasta salad, refrigerated rice you turn into fried rice, or leftovers.
- Why it matters: Resistant starch acts like a slow-release meal for your SCFA-producing gut bacteria. It ferments in the colon, producing short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which support dopamine and serotonin pathways.
- Try this: Store your bread in the fridge, eat that leftover lasagna that’s about to go bad, or simply wait ten minutes before eating your baked potato.
5. Stay Consistently Hydrated
Water helps fiber do its job—without it, your digestion slows down, and fermentation patterns can shift in less helpful ways.
- Why it matters: Dehydration can contribute to sluggish digestion and decreased SCFA production.
- Try this: Pair each meal with a glass of water. If you forget to drink, try flavoring your water or using a water bottle with a fun straw that you bring with you everywhere.
6. Reduce Ultra-Processed Foods (When You Can)
You don’t have to go completely sugar-free or cut out all processed food, but a diet high in ultra-processed items (think packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and fast food) can disrupt microbial balance and lower SCFA output.
- Why it matters: These foods tend to lack fiber, are associated with increased inflammation, and seem to shift microbial activity away from helpful SCFA production.
- Try this: Focus on adding whole foods rather than eliminating processed ones. A bowl of fruit with lunch can crowd out a less helpful snack!
- Protein intake is also key—it keeps you satisfied for longer, crowding out the unhelpful brain cues to grab that bag of chips.
Do I need that detox?
Supporting your gut health does not have to mean an overnight overhaul. For people with ADHD, sustainable change often comes from starting small and building on success, not chasing perfection or trying to reinvent our entire lives.
Remember the last time you thought you could rearrange and clean your entire house in a day? Then you ended up exhausted with a messier home than you started with? Same vibe here: If we exhaust ourselves, then we can end up making our gut microbiome worse due to stress.
Pick one or two adjustments that feel doable—maybe it’s buying a frozen stir-fry instead of chicken nuggets, adding ground flaxseed to your pancakes, or drinking water with lunch. Once that feels automatic, add something else. Over time, these small changes can create a microbiome environment that better supports your brain.
Not on ADHD meds – or can’t take them? Let’s start with food.
The ADHD Eating Guide is a research-informed toolkit designed to support ADHD brains through nutrition and behavior. Whether you’re off meds, in between prescriptions, or just want to feel better day to day, this revolutionary 6-part bundle offers simple, evidence-based strategies that actually work with your brain.
👉 [Get the ADHD Eating Guide] and give your brain the fuel it needs – no prescription required, just research-backed support. Available now for $70 $50.
The ADHD Meal Guide
Learn the science behind eating for ADHD and how to start.
The 5 ADHD Food Families
Discover the top nutrients linked to symptom relief (with easy ways to get them in).
ADHD Eating Hacks
10 behavioral strategies grounded in psychology to help you eat when you “just can’t.”
The ADHD Meal Builder
The novel no-brainpower-needed way to build balanced meals.
The ADHD Example Menu
80 ADHD-friendly meal and snack ideas sorted by effort level.
The ADHD Grocery Plan
A weekly grocery tool that simplifies planning, cuts decision fatigue, and actually works with your brain.
P.S. Just like with gut microbiome research, I cut through the noise to bring you what really works – no pseudoscience, just evidence-based nutrition strategies for ADHD.
