Before helping your friends and neighbors with a life-saving blood donation, you must take care of your own body. That includes knowing what to eat and drink before donating blood. You’ll also want to eat and drink the right things after your blood donation to make your recovery as quick and easy as possible. That’s why we’ve also included some suggestions for what to eat after blood donation.
What to Eat and Drink Before Giving Blood
Of course, a healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods is always important, but it’s especially vital to know what to eat before giving blood. The most crucial foods and drinks listed below will help your body recover from donating blood.
Iron-Rich Foods
After you’ve donated, it can take your body about eight weeks to replace the red blood cells and the iron they contain. You may feel weak and tired if you don’t replenish that iron. Iron-rich foods include red meat and organ meats like liver, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, beans, sweet potatoes, and leafy green vegetables.
If you plan to donate regularly (Thank you!), you might want to take a multivitamin with iron every day to ensure your blood iron levels stay topped up.
Food & Drinks High in Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps your body better absorb the iron you’re eating, especially from plants. So it’s essential to include good sources of vitamin C along with that iron-rich diet. Citrus fruits and juices, pineapple, cantaloupe, mango, papaya, guava, kiwi, berries, watermelon, Brussels sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, and the like) are all loaded with vitamin C, so dig in!
Drink Plenty of Water
Your blood is about 80% water. When you donate blood, you lose a large amount of water in a short time. Proper hydration before an appointment increases your volume of blood, makes veins easier to find, and helps you feel well after donating. You should drink an extra 2 cups (16 oz.) of water as you prepare to donate.
Your body will need to replace the lost fluids after a donation, and water is the best way to do that. Unfortunately, the more popular soft drinks, coffee and tea, all contain caffeine and/or sugar (both diuretics), which will only dry your body out more and lead to exhaustion. So, stick with water (or juice) and allow your body to recover.
Fueling Your Body for a Life-Saving Donation
About half of people who try to donate are deferred due to low iron. With the right foods and adequate hydration, you can mitigate this common occurrence and you should feel fine after your blood donation. Plus, you’ll be satisfied knowing that you may have saved someone’s life! Why not contact us today to schedule your blood donation?
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