By Patricia Adeyemi
Nutrition experts have discredited the popular belief that consuming a combination of malt drink and tomato paste increases blood volume in the body. They emphasized that there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, particularly for individuals with anaemia (a medical condition in which the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen to the tissues is reduced). The experts described this combination as unhealthy and stressed that tomato paste is not a source of iron, which is essential for producing haemoglobin (the iron containing substance in red blood cell that transports oxygen from lungs to the rest of the body). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), anaemia is a condition characterized by low red blood cell count or haemoglobin concentration, primarily affecting women and children. While anaemia remains a significant public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, experts advise that the best way to address it is through iron-rich foods like animal proteins, not misconceived remedies like the malt and tomato paste mixture.