Nutrition specialists have debunked a common misconception suggesting that the consumption of a blend of malt drink and tomato paste can augment blood volume in the body.
They have clarified that there is no scientific basis to substantiate the idea that this mixture enhances blood levels in individuals dealing with anemia.
The experts have labeled this combination as unhealthy, emphasizing that the assertion is unfounded and that there is no correlation between tomato paste and the iron needed by the body to generate haemoglobin.
The World Health Organization defines anemia as a condition where either the count of red blood cells or the concentration of hemoglobin in them falls below the standard levels.
“It mainly affects women and children. Anaemia occurs when there isn’t enough haemoglobin in the body to carry oxygen to the organs and tissues”, WHO states.
Anaemia persists as a significant public health issue, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where it contributes to maternal mortality. Iron deficiency and malnutrition are the primary causes of anaemia in mothers.
According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, anaemia remains widespread among women of childbearing age in Nigeria.
The survey revealed that nutritional deficiency and inadequate housing infrastructure are the main factors contributing to anaemia among Nigerian women.
Professor Beatrice Ogunba, a specialist in Public Health Nutrition at Obafemi Awolowo University, emphatically stated that the claim that consuming a mixture of malt and tomato paste increases blood volume is false and unsupported by scientific evidence.
Ogunba highlighted, “What I know is that tomatoes have beta-carotene and not iron. Tomato paste can’t be converted to iron for any reason. So, I don’t know where the iron is coming from. I don’t know any scientific evidence for that. What is in tomatoes is vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and not iron.
“So, it can’t be true that the combination of malt and tomato paste does increase blood volume. I can’t see any link between iron and tomato paste and I don’t have any scientific evidence.
“Tomato is not a source of iron; there are some iron-rich foods that give iron and not tomato. So, it is a misconception.”
Professor Ogunba, a nutritionist, explained that tomato paste lacks iron fortification, making it unable to meet the body’s iron needs.
While malt drinks contain some vitamins, they are not a significant source of iron, although some brands may contain trace amounts.
Therefore, malt is not considered an iron-rich food.
Ogunba advised individuals with anaemia to seek medical attention and consume animal protein sources like meat and fish. Another expert, Chief Dietitian Olusola Malomo, agreed that the belief that a mixture of tomato paste and malt drink boosts blood levels is a misconception.
He attributed this misconception to the red color of tomato paste, which leads people to mistakenly assume it is high in iron.
The dietician said, “When you talk about anaemia, you see a lot of people using malt and tomato paste. They think that when they combine it, it will increase their blood level. These are misconceptions.
“If you have a shortage of blood, you can use any blood-boosting multivitamins. Meanwhile, the tin tomato, if taken, has to go through the process of cooking. It shouldn’t be taken raw.
“Some of them don’t come back to tell us the consequences of such a combination.”
The dietitian expressed greater concern about the potential health risks associated with the expiration dates and manufacturing process of tomato paste, rather than the unproven health effects of combining it with malt, as no scientific studies have investigated this specific combination.
“If the process is not standard, that will affect the quality of the product and the health of the consumer. Few consumers consider their health at the point of purchase by checking the manufacturing details”, he highlighted.
The nutrition expert pinpointed that the producer of tin tomato did not produce it to be ingested directly into the body.
He cautioned, “It is a wrong combination. Tin tomatoes need to pass through a process of cooking and the instruction is that we should cook it.”
Malomo counselled Nigerians to be innovative in the way they eat and to eat healthily.
He advised, “Now, the sustainable approach to tackling anaemia is when iron-rich foods are incorporated into the menu plan.
“The problem that causes the anaemia is your diet. So for us to have a sustainable result, we need to incorporate animal protein into our diet. It is not about money but about eating healthily.
“If you can’t improve your iron status through food, you can use supplements as prescribed by a physician.“
