Platelets are tiny bodies in your blood that can clump together to stop bleeding and form scabs when you're injured. They can sometimes stick together in your bloodstream as well, forming clots. Blood clots can lead to heart attack or stroke. Some individuals don't have enough platelets, a condition called thrombocytophenia. What you eat can both affect the ability of platelets to stick together and either increase or decrease their number.
Vegetables
Vegetables that contain vitamin K must be included in a healthy diet, because platelets can't form clots without it. The best sources of vitamin K are kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Onions, however, might have an adverse effect on your platelets, because they contain quercetin, a flavonoid that can slow down your body's production of platelets.
Dairy Products
Your platelets also need calcium to form clots. Although milk and milk products are excellent sources of calcium, if your platelet count is low -- because you suffer from an autoimmune disease that causes thrombocytophenia -- dairy products can potentially aggravate such conditions.
Fruits
Some fruits can affect the ability of your platelets to stick together and form clots, according to the Platelet Disorder Support Association. Blueberries and grapes can exacerbate conditions like hemophilia, which prevents the blood from clotting properly. If your blood clots too much, however, these fruits can potentially help.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in fish, can affect the stickiness of your platelets and interfere with their ability to join together and clot. If you suffer from a clotting disorder, you should avoid salmon, halibut, mackerel, sardines, albacore and other fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Tips
The Platelet Disorder Support Association recommends including organic foods in your diet as much as possible. The herbicides and pesticides used in food production may worsen thrombocytopenia that results from autoimmune disturbances. Drinking alcohol can also interfere with your body's production of platelets. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, many heavy drinkers have low platelet counts, particularly if their diets also lack in necessary minerals and vitamins, such as vitamin B12 and iron.
References
- Platelet Disorder Support Association: ITP Diet Suggestions
- Franklin Institute: Platelets --- Sticky Situations
- United States Department of Agriculture: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 22
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What Causes Thrombocytopenia?
- National Onion Association; About Onions: Healthy Facts; 2009
