
Lean Protein
Lean proteins are the superheroes of ADHD nutrition. They help your brain make crucial neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, keeping your mood balanced and your mind sharp. They also manage your blood sugar, helping you stay energised and focused throughout the day.
Why is it good for ADHD?
Eating lean proteins—like chicken thighs, eggs, fish, and beans—is especially beneficial for people with ADHD. Here's why:
Boosts Brain Chemicals (Neurotransmitters)
Proteins break down into amino acids. These are building blocks your brain needs to create important chemical messengers called neurotransmitters:
- Dopamine: Helps with focus, motivation, and feeling rewarded.
- Serotonin: Important for mood regulation, anxiety, and sleep.
- Norepinephrine: Essential for alertness, concentration, and energy.
By eating lean protein, you give your brain the fuel it needs to make these neurotransmitters efficiently—helping your brain stay alert, balanced, and ready for action.
Keeps Energy Steady (Blood Sugar Balance)
Protein is digested more slowly than carbohydrates, meaning it:
- Keeps your blood sugar stable, avoiding energy spikes and crashes.
- Helps you feel fuller for longer, reducing the urge for unhealthy snacks or overeating.
Stable blood sugar helps prevent energy dips that can affect mood, attention, and decision-making, especially important if you're managing ADHD.
Where to find it?
Related Recipes
Chorizo Scrambled Eggs
Need something hot, quick, and full of flavour? These chorizo scrambled eggs hit every button. The smoky, spicy chorizo crisps up in minutes, infusing your eggs with bold, savoury goodness. It’s rich, satisfying, and ideal for ADHD brains: fast to make, packed with protein, and full of sensory reward. Add toast and spring greens and you’ve got a complete, no-fuss lunch.
Perfect Scrambled Eggs
This is your go-to recipe for creamy, soft scrambled eggs with zero faff. Ready in minutes, it’s the kind of breakfast that feels like a win even when you’ve barely woken up. Rich in protein and endlessly adaptable, it’s the perfect foundation for toast, bowls, or even just eaten straight from the pan with a fork.
Air Fryer Chicken Bites (Frozen)
This is the definition of future-you self-care. These chicken bites are prepped in advance, frozen raw with your favourite seasoning, and ready to throw in the air fryer—no defrosting needed. They cook straight from frozen in under 15 minutes, giving you crispy, juicy protein with zero stress. Perfect for low-energy days when your brain just needs a win.
Air Fryer Salmon Fillets from Frozen
This is the ultimate low-effort, high-reward ADHD dinner hero. Take a salmon fillet straight from the freezer, pop it in the air fryer for crispy, golden,flaky salmon fillets. No defrosting, no stress—just a delicious, nutritious base for your mealn. It’s protein-rich, packed with omega-3s, and endlessly pairable with your favourite veg, grains and flavour bombs.
Quick and Easy Airfryer Salmon Fillets (Fresh)
This is salmon at its easiest and most rewarding. Flaky, buttery salmon with a crispy skin in under 10 minutes. Despite it's simplicity it feels like a treat every time, whether you're eating it hot off the tray or cold with a fork straight from the fridge. There’s no marinating, no fuss, and no mess—just satisfying texture, bold natural flavour, and a huge win for your dopamine
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs (From Frozen)
Got nothing in the fridge? No worries. These chicken thighs go straight from freezer to table in around 30 minutes, delivering crispy skin and juicy meat without any prep stress. High in lean protein, they keep your brain happy, your mood stable, and your energy steady—even on your most scattered days.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs (Fresh)
Juicy, crispy chicken thighs from fresh in under 20 minutes—perfect when your brain needs minimal effort and maximum reward. Lean protein like chicken thighs fuels your brain by supporting focus and mood, while keeping your energy stable. Simple seasoning means zero stress, while the air fryer ensures delicious, consistent results every time. Easy, tasty, and nutritious—the perfect ADHD-friendly protein base.