Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, sweets, soft drinks, excess salt, spices and animal proteins may trigger seizures by suddenly changing the body’s metabolism. Some parents have reported that allergic reactions to certain foods (e.g. white flour) also seem to trigger seizures in their children.
Table of Contents
What foods trigger epileptic seizures?
Stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, sweets, soft drinks, excess salt, spices and animal proteins may trigger seizures by suddenly changing the body’s metabolism. Some parents have reported that allergic reactions to certain foods (e.g. white flour) also seem to trigger seizures in their children.

What should you avoid if you have epilepsy?
white bread; non-wholegrain cereals; biscuits and cakes; honey; high-sugar drinks and foods; fruit juices; chips; mashed potatoes; parsnips; dates and watermelon. In general, processed or overcooked foods and over-ripe fruits.
Is dairy good for epilepsy?
Among different foods which may trigger the seizure occurrence, dairy products are major concerns because of excess use of a variety of them in dairy diet and several studies demonstrated cow’s milk protein allergy which may induce epilepsy [7].
What is a good diet for epilepsy?

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high fat, low carbohydrate, controlled protein diet that has been used since the 1920s for the treatment of epilepsy. The diet is a medical treatment and is usually only considered when at least two suitable medications have been tried and not worked.
Which food is good for epilepsy?
The diet is used mostly in children with epilepsy, but adults may also use the diet. High fat foods include mayonnaise, butter, and heavy cream. Small portions of fruit, cheese, meat, fish, and poultry are allowed.
What is the best medicine for benign rolandic epilepsy?
The most commonly used medication is levetiracetam (Keppra). Other medicines including oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, gabapentin, zonisamide or lacosamide (Vimpat) may also be used. In most cases, seizures respond well to antiseizure medications.
Is Rolandic epilepsy genetic?
Rolandic epilepsy (RE) is the most common type of childhood epilepsy-affecting more than 50,000 children in the United States-and has a complex genetic inheritance.
How common is Rolandic epilepsy?
Benign rolandic epilepsy is a syndrome that starts causing seizures in children between ages 6 and 8. Benign rolandic epilepsy is the most common childhood epilepsy, accounting for 15 percent of diagnoses. The condition affects boys more often than girls.
What does Rolandic epilepsy look like?
Kids with benign rolandic epilepsy have seizures that involve twitching, numbness, or tingling of the face or tongue. They typically happen in the early morning or just before bedtime. They also can happen during sleep. Kids almost always stop having these seizures by the time they reach their teen years.
Is chocolate good for epilepsy?
In humans, the intake of methylxanthines (abundantly found in cocoa-based dark chocolate as well as in caffeine) have been proposed to not only reduce the anticonvulsant activity of a number of antiepileptic drugs,88–90 but to also have the capability to trigger seizures in patients without known underlying epilepsy.
What food should epileptics eat?
Small portions of fruit, cheese, meat, fish, and poultry are allowed. Food must be carefully measured and weighed. Even small amounts of sugar can reverse the effects of the diet and cause a seizure, so sugar is prohibited.
What foods can help with seizures?
Share on Pinterest A high-fat, low-carb diet is claimed to reduce seizures in those with refractory epilepsy. Researchers aimed to review the high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic and modified Atkins diets for the treatment of refractory epilepsy (drug-resistant epilepsy) in adults.
What diet is best for epilepsy?
The “classic” ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. It is prescribed by a physician and carefully monitored by a dietitian. It is usually used in children with seizures that do not respond to medications.
Can epilepsy be controlled by diet?
Studies dating back to the 1920s have shown that diet can improve seizure control in people who have epilepsy. Although these studies are based on a strict diet called the ketogenic diet, recent evidence has shown that less restrictive diets may also be helpful.