Platelets are part of blood cells that play an important role in the process of blood clotting. Platelets are responsible for stopping bleeding in the event of injury or damage to blood vessels. Low platelet count can make it difficult for blood to clot. There are several ways to maintainplatelet count in the body, one of which is paying attention to your food intake. As quoted from the Healthline page, here are some types of foods that can increase platelets, and types of foods that should be avoided.

Foods to increase platelet count

1. Foods rich in vitamin B-12 can help maintain the health of your blood cells. Deficiency of this vitamin is known to be related to the low number of platelets in the body. Foods such as beef liver, mussels, eggs, and dairy products are the best sources of vitamin B-1.
2. Foods rich in folate such as beans, peas, kidney beans, and oranges can also help maintain the health of blood cells.
3. Foods rich in iron can maintain the body's ability to produce healthy blood cells. Foods such as shellfish, pumpkin seeds, lentils, and beef are good sources of iron.
4. Foods rich in vitamin C can help keep platelets to work more efficiently. Vitamins can also help the process of absorption of iron in the body. Mango, pineapple, broccoli, paprika, tomatoes, and cauliflower are good sources of vitamin C for the body.

Foods that can reduce platelet count

Alcohol, cranberry juice, quinine (a mixture of tonic water), tahini, and cow's milk are known to reduce platelet count in the body. For those of you who have a history of thrombocytopenia, you should avoid these drinks. Thrombocytopenia is a condition where the number of platelets in the body is below normal. Normal platelet counts are 150,000-450,000 cells / µL of blood.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Healthline - How to Naturally Increase Your Platelet Count (2017). https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-increase-platelet-count#what-to-eat, 13 January 2020.