SICKLE CELL ANEMIA DIET AND NUTRITION

While everyone needs to think about the things that they eat, a healthy diet is even more important for children with sickle cell disease. Research is still ongoing, but six key nutritional factors already have been identified:

1. The general nutritional principles apply. Children with sickle cell have the same basic nutritional requirements as anyone else.

The food pyramid is a useful guide: - Eat less fats and sweets- Milk group 2 servings- Meat group 2 servings- Vegetable group 3 servings- Fruit group 2 servings- Grain group 6 servings what counts as one serving?

Grain group1:

Slice of bread, half cup of cooked rice or pasta, half cup of cooked cereal1 ounce of ready- to- eat cereal Vegetable, group half cup of chopped raw or cooked vegetables, 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, leafy Fruit group1, piece of fruit or melon wedge, 3/4 cup of juice 1/2 cup of canned fruit 1/4 cup of dried fruit milk group 1cup of milk or yogurt 2 ounces of cheese meat, group 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count as 1 ounce of meat fats and sweets limit calories from these 4 to 6 year olds can eat these serving sizes. Offer 2 to 3 year olds less, except for milk; 2 to 6 year old children need a total of 2 servings from the milk group each day.