Your blood, which carries nutrients, hormones, immune cells and oxygen throughout your body, also removes wastes and helps conserve and disperse heat. Blood components are meant to be used or disposed of rapidly, resulting in high cell turnover and also high nutritional requirements. Certain foods are especially high in blood-building nutrients.
Iron-Rich Foods
Iron-rich foods build strong blood by contributing to the formation of hemoglobin, which helps deliver oxygen to cells throughout your body. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting between 500 million and 2 billion people, according to the University of Chicago Department of Pediatrics.
While iron from animal foods, known as heme iron, is more readily absorbed, non-heme, or plant-derived iron is also plentiful in many of your favorite foods, such as almonds, lentils, soy beans and oatmeal.
Adult men and postmenopausal women should get 8 milligrams of iron per day, or 14 milligrams if you adhere to a strict vegetarian diet, and pre-menopausal women need about 18 milligrams per day, or 33 milligrams for strict vegetarians, according to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center. To help absorb the most iron from your food, eat iron-containing foods along with foods high in vitamin C.
High-Protein Foods
Protein is necessary for antibody production and blood clotting, and the blood protein albumin is vital for transporting other molecules and maintaining proper fluid balance. Hemoglobin is a protein molecule, as are the many hormones that circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream. High-quality lean meats, fish and dairy products provide complete protein, containing all of the amino acids your body requires to manufacture the many proteins it produces. Protein is also plentiful in plant foods, such as grains, beans and legumes. Aim to consume about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of your body weight per day.
Foods Low in Saturated Fat
Foods that help decrease cholesterol levels help keep your blood and circulatory system healthy. For healthy blood opt for lean meats and low-fat dairy products and avoid fried foods and those made with trans fats. Trade saturated fats for unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, olive oil and avocados. High-fiber foods also help keep your blood cholesterol levels down by binding to cholesterol in your intestinal tract and preventing it from being absorbed. Soluble fiber in whole grains, oats and beans are particularly helpful for lowering cholesterol, according to Harvard Health Publications.
Complex Carbohydrates
A diet low in refined sugars and processed carbohydrates can help keep your blood sugar levels within healthy limits. High blood sugar levels can lead to oxidation, which damages molecules and forms advanced glycation end products, which promote inflammation. When blood sugar levels are high excess sugar can attach to red blood cells, a product known as glycosylated hemoglobin, and damage them. The glycemic index is a scale that measures how quickly a carbohydrate food is digested and turned into sugar. Foods low on the glycemic index include fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and nuts.