While exact figures aren’t available for the number of Americans who have sickle cell disease, the data that is available shows high incidences for Black Americans. In fact, one in 365 Black babies is born with the disease, and one in 13 has the trait. As with many illnesses, maintaining a healthy diet is imperative for 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 avoid 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 help you stick to your diet when you’re away from home.
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 of 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 a skillet for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the skillet and remove excess fat.
- In a bowl, beat eggs with 2 tbsp of whole milk, and 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.
Spinach-based Smoothie – makes two servings
This is a great way to add vegetables to your diet easily.
Ingredients
- ½ banana (frozen or fresh)
- ½ cup pineapple or mango (frozen or fresh)
- ½ tbsp peanut butter
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup whole milk or Lactaid milk
- 2 cups baby spinach
Preparation
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. If you’re using fresh fruit, add about ¼ cup of ice.
Lemon Chicken Salad Pita Sandwich – makes 4 servings
This recipe is a great idea if you need to bring lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (you can substitute canned chicken or diced rotisserie chicken)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp mustard
- ¾ cup canned mandarin orange segments
- 8 (6- to 8-inch) pita bread pockets
- 1 bag of salad greens
- pepper and salt to taste
Preparation
- Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard in a medium bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the shredded chicken and the mayo mixture.
- Add in orange segments.
- Cut 1 inch from the top of each pita to open a pocket. Fill each pita with greens and ½ cup chicken salad.
Easy Granola Bars – makes 8 servings
If you need a great portable snack for any occasion, making a serving or two of these granola bars is a good option.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ⅓ cup butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped nuts
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries or other dried fruits
Preparation
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oats. Cook and stir until they start to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Spread out on a cookie sheet to cool.
- Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Stir in the honey and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Return the cooled oats to the pan. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes. Pour out onto the cookie sheet. Spread to cool.
- Once cool, transfer them to an airtight container. Stir in the nuts and dried fruit.
Pita Pizza – makes 4 servings
This is a healthy and filling dinner recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 whole-grain pita bread rounds
- 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup pizza sauce
Italian seasoning
Any toppings that you want – mushrooms, green peppers, pineapple, etc.
Preparation
- Place the pitas on a baking sheet. Top with sauce, then cheese and toppings. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Spray the top with cooking spray to help keep the top moist while cooking.
- Bake in the oven at 400°F for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Maintaining an ideal diet with sickle cell disease can be challenging, but having a few easy recipes under your belt will help. As you do more research, keeping your nutrition in top shape might even become fun.
