top of page

What’s Fueling the Meltdown? How Food Impacts Emotional Regulation

By Pat Bohn, FDN-P, BC-HHP


Introduction

If your child’s emotions seem to change quickly with calm one moment and anxious or irritable the next, it might not be “just behavior.” Often, these shifts are linked to subtle blood sugar fluctuations that go unnoticed.


Many parents have heard about removing inflammatory foods such as gluten, casein, and refined sugar, and doing so can make a remarkable difference. However, one often-overlooked factor that can significantly affect a child’s emotional stability and focus is how their body regulates blood sugar throughout the day.


These fluctuations are influenced by your child’s oxidative rate, which refers to how efficiently their body converts food into energy. Think of it like fueling a car. You would not fill a vehicle that requires unleaded gasoline with diesel, nor would you use the wrong type of oil and expect the engine to perform well. The body works the same way. Providing the right balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates helps it run efficiently, while the wrong balance can contribute to emotional volatility and energy crashes.


How to Find Your Child’s Ideal Fuel Mix

Step 1: Mix and match meals Experiment with different meal types throughout the week and observe how your child responds. Every child processes food a little differently depending on their oxidative rate which is the speed at which their body converts food into usable energy.


A general guide is as follows:

  • Fast oxidizers burn through food quickly and tend to do best with higher amounts of protein and healthy fats and fewer carbohydrates. Example: scrambled eggs cooked in avocado oil, half an avocado, and a small serving of berries. For lunch or dinner, try chicken with roasted vegetables and olive oil.

  • Slow oxidizers process food more slowly and often benefit from a slightly higher intake of healthy carbohydrates. Example: oatmeal made with coconut milk, topped with banana slices and nut butter. For lunch or dinner, try salmon with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

  • Mixed oxidizers fall somewhere in between and typically feel best with a balanced plate of protein, fats, and complex carbohydrates. Example: turkey or chicken sausage with roasted sweet potato and sautéed spinach, or a smoothie with protein powder, greens, fruit, and nut butter.


The goal is exploration, not perfection. Observe how different combinations influence your child’s energy and emotional balance.


Step 2: Observe 90 minutes after eating This is where the most valuable insight emerges. Approximately 90 minutes after eating, your child’s body has processed much of that meal and either maintained stable blood sugar or experienced a fluctuation. This window provides critical feedback from the body.


Pay attention to:

  • Energy: Are they calm and steady, or hyperactive and fatigued?

  • Mood: Are they patient and emotionally balanced, or easily frustrated or tearful?

  • Focus: Are they able to engage and concentrate, or are they distracted and restless?

  • Physical cues: Do they crave snacks or sweets, complain of hunger, or appear sluggish?


Keep brief notes on what they ate, when they ate, and how they felt 90 minutes later. Tracking even a few days can reveal consistent patterns such as:


  • “After toast and fruit for breakfast → hyper and emotional.”

  • “After eggs and avocado → calm and focused.”


Recognizing these patterns often provides the first “aha” moment for parents. Food is not only fuel but a direct influence on how a child feels and functions.


Step 3: Connect the dots and adjust After several days of observation, review your notes and identify patterns. Determine which meals kept your child calm and focused the longest and what those meals had in common. Consider whether certain times of day, such as mornings or after school, correspond with greater sensitivity to specific foods.


Once you identify trends, make small, gradual adjustments. For example, if carbohydrate-heavy breakfasts lead to morning irritability, replace cereal or toast with eggs, smoothies containing nut butter, or a protein pancake. If heavier meals appear to cause fatigue, use lighter proteins with a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates. Small, consistent changes can result in significant improvements in mood, focus, and overall energy.


Step 4: Build on what works When you find a meal or meals that clearly help your child feel calm, focused, and balanced, build on them. You can use the following prompt to generate additional meal ideas that align with the same nutrient balance and your child’s preferences:


  • “Suggest 10 meal ideas for a [fast, mixed, or slow oxidizer] child that include [foods my child likes], have a similar balance to [describe the meal that worked], and fit [any textures or dietary notes such as dairy-free, gluten-free, or picky-eater-friendly].”


Add as much detail as you wish like favorite flavors, textures, or mealtime challenges and you will receive balanced recipe ideas that keep your child feeling their best.


Step 5: Explore deeper if needed If improving meal balance doesn’t help, there may be deeper factors at play. Working with a functional health practitioner to identify underlying issues like food sensitivities, gut imbalances, or nutrient deficiencies can be beneficial in supporting your child’s overall well-being.


Every child is unique. Identifying and supporting the right fuel mix for your child’s system can make a profound difference, helping their body, brain, and emotions function in harmony so they can thrive from the inside out.


Interested in Learning More?

Want help uncovering your child’s best fuel for focus and calm? I’d love to connect and share what functional medicine can do for your family. Book a Meeting here: '



 
 
 
bottom of page