While exact figures aren’t available for the number of Americans who have sickle cell disease, the data that is available shows high incidents for African Americans. In fact, 1 in 365 Black babies is born with the disease, and 1 in 13 have the trait. As with many illnesses, having the right diet is imperative to maintaining good health.
The Ideal Sickle Cell Disease Diet
When catering to your nutrition needs, it’s recommended that you include at least four of the main food groups in each meal. These groups are:
- Whole grains
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Dairy products
- Meats and beans
- Oils
Additionally, it’s best to stay away from caffeinated drinks and heavily processed foods. In many cases, having such a demanding diet will mean that you’ll be creating a lot of meals for yourself. That includes healthy snacks that will stop you from breaking your diet while outside the house.
Five Easy Meals To Prepare At Home
Boosted Scrambled Eggs – makes three servings
Great for breakfast, this recipe combines foods from different groups while still being easy to prepare.
Ingredients
3 slices bacon or ham
3 large eggs
½ cup whole milk or Lactaid milk
¼ cup cheddar cheese
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Any vegetables you like
Preparation
- Cook bacon or heat up ham in skillet for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from skillet and remove excess fat.
- In a bowl, beat eggs with 2 tbsp of whole milk, add salt and ground pepper to taste. Pour into a hot frying pan. Crumble bacon (or chop ham) and add to the eggs. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to satisfaction.
- Top with cheese and cook until melted.