Foods to Eat After Losing Blood

Losing blood to injury, surgery, or in any other manner needs to be replaced as soon as possible, preferably after you get proper treatment. Medications to boost blood production are available but there are other ways other than relying on drugs to replace the amount of blood lost. Losing blood also means that your iron levels are going down and when this continues, you are at risk of suffering from anemia or iron deficiency. Fortunately, there are healthier ways to boost your blood cells so you will have more blood flowing into you and that is by choosing any of these foods for your diet.

1. Meat, fish, and poultry. When it comes to increasing the iron levels in your system, the best way to do this is to add poultry, fish, and meat to your diet as your body absorbs more iron through these foods compared to plant-based ones. Poultry as well as lean meat also contain vitamins B, B6 and B12 while fish, beef, and liver contain potassium.
2. Coconut water. If you have been donating blood, one of the quickest ways to replace your blood is to drink coconut water. The potassium present in this drink can help replenish the blood that you have lost. Just take note that coconut water is quite different from coconut milk and coconut cream.
3. Get some dairy. Dairy products like soy milk, milk, yogurt, and eggs are good options for those who need help replenishing their blood as these contain vitamins B1 and B12. For vegans, you will need to add vitamin C to your diet if you’re including dairy to your daily consumption. One reason behind this is that dairy can inhibit your iron absorption from plant-based foods.
4. Vegetables and fruits. Don’t forget to include vegetables and fruits in your diet as these two can supply your body with folate, vitamin C, vitamins B1, B6 and B12, plus vitamin K. The vitamin C is the one responsible for helping your body absorb iron while vitamin B12 and folate are the ones responsible for helping your body create red blood cells. As for the vitamin K, this particular vitamin is needed to help your blood clot or coagulate. In terms of keeping your blood cells healthy, this is a job of the vitamins B1 and B6.
5. Wheat grass. Another food that can help with replenishing your blood is wheat grass. The chlorophyll present in wheat grass can maintain the amount of haemoglobin and red blood cells in your body.
6. Nuts and grains. For vegetarians and vegans, adding beans, legumes, grains, and nuts to your diet is one way to replenish your blood. These food options contain high amounts of iron, B vitamin, and folate which are essential in producing more red blood cells.

These foods are just for starters as there are more sources of nutrients out there that can help you replenish the amount of blood that you have lost. By eating these foods regularly, you will be increasing your red blood cells and iron absorption in no time.