The best foods for vitiligo patients are those rich in vitamins, minerals, and iron. These foods include carrots, apples, radishes, dates, and chickpeas. Foods high in iron, such as green leafy vegetables, are essential since they help induce pigment.
Furthermore, antioxidant-rich nourishments and omega-3 fatty acids in foods, such as whole grains, walnuts, seaweed, and mackerel, may help reduce inflammation and promote a healthy immune system for people with vitiligo.
Read on for more details about the foods to eat for vitiligo.
Foods to Eat with Vitiligo
Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system starts attacking a person’s skin pigment cells. The condition results in inflammation that damages skin cells, causing a loss of skin colour.
Vitiligo patients can manage the condition by considering the proper diet and nutrition. Although no particular diet is prescribed to treat the condition, eating certain foods may benefit patients with vitiligo.
To manage the condition, patients should consider the following diet:
Fruits like strawberries and raspberries and vegetables like spinach and kale are rich antioxidant sources. Different types of fruits and vegetables have different antioxidants. Hence, eating multi-coloured fruits and veggies helps patients consume various antioxidant compounds. Besides, you can get antioxidants from other plant-based foods, such as seeds and nuts.
The body needs omega-3 fatty acids to produce hormones that help regulate blood clotting and reduce inflammation. Oily fish and shellfish, such as salmon, anchovies, mackerel, tuna, oysters, sardines, mussels, trout, herring, and swordfish, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can benefit patients with vitiligo.
Other excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids are:
- Walnuts
- Chia seeds and hemp seeds
- Plant oils, such as canola oil and flaxseed
- Seaweed, including kombu, dulse, nori, hijiki, or wakame
The vitiligo foods to avoid to help limit body inflammation include:
- Processed meat (hot dogs, deli meats, etc).
- Refined grains (white bread, pastries, white rice, white pasta, etc).
- Fried foods (chips, french fries, etc).
- Sweetened beverages (soda, etc).
- Desserts (candies, ice cream, cookies, etc).
- Excessive carbohydrate intake.
- Foods containing artificial trans fat (margarine, shortening, commercial baked goods, etc).
- Foods with gluten (wheat-based flour, barley, rye, etc).
- Alcohol
Conclusion
No particular died has yet been established that can cure vitiligo. However, maintaining consistency in eating the right foods may help patients reduce inflammation, which promotes overall wellness. Most importantly, purchasing a good health insurance plan will ease the financial burden of vitiligo patients by covering treatment costs.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical or nutrition professional before making any significant changes in your daily diet. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any impact or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.