Red blood cells play a very important role in our body: transporting oxygen-rich blood throughout the body through hemoglobin.
It is then necessary to maintain optimal levels for good health. In this article, we tell you how you can increase red blood cells naturally.
Foods increase your red blood cells
When we are anemic the body produces fewer red blood cells than normal and the cells do not have enough hemoglobin.The most common anemia is caused by an iron deficiency by not consuming this nutrient as we should.
Adults should ingest at least 8 mg of iron per day. For women who are menstruating or at menopause, that amount should increase to 18 mg daily.
It is also good to keep in mind that foods with vitamin C such as citrus fruits help in the process of iron absorption.
Men need 90 mg and women need 75 mg every day.
Thanks to our diet we can increase the levels of red blood cells. Basically, we should eat three food groups:
With iron
To promote the production of hemoglobin and prevent a higher concentration of white blood cells in relation to the red ones. The foods that contain the most iron are:
- Lean meats (turkey, chicken or beef)
- Mollusks (mussels, clams, and cockles)
- Legumes (lentils, beans, beans)
- Green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard)
- Cruciferous (cabbage, broccoli)
- Eggs
- Nuts (almonds, walnuts, raisins)
- Whole grains (oats, rye)
With vitamin B12
Diets with a good amount of this vitamin help to produce more red blood cells in the bone marrow. These foods are recommended:
- Bluefish (salmon, tuna, and sardine)
- Skim milk (milk, cheese, yogurt)
- Organic soybean
- Mushrooms and mushrooms
- Wheat germ
- Beer yeast
With folic acid
Also known as Vitamin B9, it is a nutrient that, in addition to increasing the number of red blood cells, helps pregnant women to be healthy during gestation.
The foods that you must add to your diet if you want a greater contribution of folic acid are:
- Legumes (chickpeas, beans, beans)
- Green vegetables (lettuce, Brussels sprouts, arugula, zucchini)
- Asparagus
- Citrus fruits (orange, lemon, grapefruit)
- Fruits with vitamin C (strawberries, kiwis)
- Avocado
- Whole grain bread and cereals
- Infusions to raise red blood cells
A balanced diet is critical to being healthy and strong but often is not enough to increase the population of red blood cells in the body.
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For this we recommend that you prepare some infusions with the following plants:
Dandelion tea
This herb is a great source of iron and can be a good complement to your diet. Drink a cup of dandelion tea every day after meals to aid in the absorption of this nutrient.
Nettle tea
You can also eat the raw leaves in a salad because they contribute a lot of iron. In the case of ingesting the nettle tea, you will have to sweeten it with honey because its flavor is rather bitter.
The recommended dose per day is up to 3 cups. Another alternative is to integrate it into a vegetable soup.
Gentian
It is also a bitter herb that is used to stimulate digestion and increase the secretion of stomach juices. It contributes to the absorption not only of iron but also of other nutrients necessary for the organism.
Gentian tea is drunk half an hour before the main meals.
Watercress
A plant very rich in iron that serves to increase the levels of red blood cells.
If you do not want to drink the tea with its leaves you can prepare a rich salad along with other leafy vegetables like, for example, spinach, arugula, and lettuce.
Natural remedies for getting more red blood cells
Carrying a proper diet and drinking herbal tea is perfect to avoid anemia. However, there are more options to raise a number of red blood cells. Check out these homemade recipes:
- Consume lentil soup and onions.
- Drink beet juice or red grapefruit daily.
- Make a garlic soup.
- Eat apple smoothies or pears.
- Consume brewer’s yeast flakes with breakfast (combined with a yogurt, for example).
- Eat cherimoya pulp daily.
The smoothies and milkshakes are very good option to start the day and offer the body the iron you need. Some effective, rich and nutritious ideas and combinations are:
- Pear, apricot, and skim milk.
- Chard, watercress, almonds, oats and soy milk.
- Dark grapes and parsley.
- Pear, quince, and carrot.
- Pineapple and honey.
- Beet, carrot, celery, spinach, parsley and watercress.
- Mango, milk and vanilla extract.
- Carrot, nettle, and beat.
What decreases red blood cells?
Many times we follow a diet full of foods with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 and we consume infusions and juices that increase the number of red blood cells, but the levels do not improve.
For what is this? A that we may be consuming foods and drinks that “we steal” iron. Among them we find:
- Green Tea
- Thyme
- Poleo
- Coffee
- Refreshments (mostly cola)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Chocolate
- Bakery
- Sweets industrialized
It is very important that you pay attention to what you consume: although you give the body enough nutrients to produce red blood cells, some foods prevent the correct absorption of iron and do not help in the oxygen transport process.
Shital regularly contributes on interesting health articles and healthy living ideas to health blogs around the web. When she’s not busy working with the jobs, you will find her undertaking many of her own health-related topics and healthy living ideas! She has a lot of dreams. She works hard to fulfill her dreams. She loves to share her ideas, tricks, tips and information by blogging. She also works at Creativejasmin.com, a company that committed to helping businesses with online marketing.