Which foods thicken human blood — a list of the 9 most effective
Increased blood viscosity is one of the most common causes of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system.
What is that "thick blood"? This is a condition when there is an increased concentration of shaped elements in it, of which it consists.
It is mainly prothrombin and fibrinogen, but often high viscosity is associated with an increased concentration of erythrocytes, platelets, leukocytes, hemoglobin, glucose, cholesterol, lipid compounds and so on.
And the primary reason for all this is improper nutrition and food, from which a person receives all the micronutrients. What are the most "harmful" products in this regard? Which of them thicken the blood? Let's turn to official research for information.
Content
General information
In most cases, it is necessary to dilute the blood. This is required, for example, in atherosclerosis, with a tendency to thrombosis, varicose veins.
It is too thick blood that causes the formation of blood clots, and those, in turn, provoke heart attacks, strokes, heart failure syndrome and other common diseases of the cardiovascular system.
But in some cases, a person's blood may be too "liquid" and, on the contrary, it needs to be condensed. For example, in diabetes mellitus, blood clotting decreases due to a low concentration of platelets. A slight thickening of blood plasma in this case makes it possible to accelerate wound healing, slow down the process of potassium leaching from the body. By the way, the same thing happens with anemia.
How do I find out the current viscosity of my blood? The simplest option is to take a general analysis followed by the establishment of a hematocrit number (which is the numerical ratio of shaped elements to plasma). Such an analysis can be done in any public or private clinic.
A significant deviation from the norm indicates an imbalance of the shaped elements and requires a more detailed study of the physiological condition of the patient.
Top 9 products that increase blood viscosity
In most cases, the daily human diet has a key influence on blood viscosity. What products increase its density and what is the reason for this? Below you will see a list of the most effective products that thicken the blood.
1. Sugar
This is one of the most "harmful" products with high blood viscosity. Excess carbohydrates in the body accumulate in the form of glycogen in the liver. And if it is not "in demand" by the body (for the release of energy), then it is synthesized to fatty compounds. Simply put, lipids, which just get into the blood, provoke the formation of blood clots
.
Also sugar is extremely harmful to the heart and blood vessels .
Modern people consume about 15 times more sugar than at the end of the 19th century. At the same time, the physical activity of the majority has significantly decreased (almost one in three has a sedentary job). That is why sugar today is often called the "white death" by doctors themselves &8212; it is the main cause of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, hypertension, liver and gastrointestinal diseases.
2. Potatoes
This vegetable contains a large amount of tannins, which contribute to blood thickening. And it also contains starch, which is synthesized to simple and complex carbohydrates. And they, as mentioned above, are in excess are transformed to lipid compounds
, which increase blood viscosity.
Fried potatoes are especially harmful, as they are also quite a fatty dish. Less harmful – boiled or baked (but it is recommended to soak peeled potatoes for several hours in cool water – this helps to "wash" a considerable proportion of starch).
3. Bananas
Are one of the largest natural sources of sugars
in fruits (mainly fructose), which increases blood viscosity.
Learn more about the effect of bananas on blood vessels see here.
If you believe the words of nutritionists, then it is allowed to eat up to 2 small bananas daily, and even less than 2 times for children. And this is true on the condition that a person completely refuses sweet desserts.
4. Animal fats
It is known that dairy products thicken the blood
. Also, the content of animal fats is high in various kinds of sausages. You can also add butter, different types of cheeses, sour cream, and so on.
Animal fat is not absorbed as well and quickly as vegetable fat, but at the same time provokes a sharp increase in lipid levels in the blood.
5. Carbonated drinks
In many of them, the sugar content is about 25-40%. For example, in the popular Coca-Cola &8212; that's exactly how much.
And even calorie-free carbonated drinks lead to an increase in blood viscosity , as they use sweeteners, and often phenolphthalein (or its derivatives). Various energy sources are especially harmful .
It is also worth mentioning that any soda accelerates the absorption of glucose into the blood through the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to a sharp increase in sugar levels.
6. Alcohol
In any form alcohol affects blood density
, since potassium is actively used for its cleavage and excretion from the body (which is excreted through the kidneys, so a person has frequent urge to urinate).
Especially beer is dangerous for blood and other drinks with hoppy malt, since a large amount of sugar is added to the wort for their preparation (it is thanks to him that the drink goes through fermentation).
7. Buckwheat porridge
Although the use of buckwheat helps to avoid atherosclerosis, at the same time it increases blood viscosity due to the high content of lecithin and its derivatives
.
But it is recommended to use it in diabetes mellitus, in the initial stages of anemia – it will really help to normalize blood clotting.
In this article you will find 5 Blood Thinning cereals .
8. Wheat flour bread
Due to its high glucose content, it is categorically not recommended to include it in the diet of diabetics. At the same time, all bakery products based on wheat flour have a high glycemic index, that is, their use provokes a sharp spike in sugar levels
in the blood.
It is better to refuse such bread altogether, replacing it with rye, or even better – with grain bread (with coarse flour). This will help not only to balance the viscosity of the blood, but also to provide the body with fiber – it is necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
9. Walnuts
They have a high content of tannins, which make the blood more dense and thick
.
But you should not completely abandon nuts, since they also contain omega-3 unsaturated acids – they are necessary for the brain to stimulate intercellular metabolic processes.
What kind of food dilutes it?
But for rapid blood thinning, nutritionists recommend eating the following effective foods that reduce blood viscosity and prevent the formation of blood clots:
- Sour berries . Almost all berries contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which accelerates the process of cleavage of lipid compounds in blood plasma. Lemon and many citrus fruits have a similar effect.
- Garlic . It contains a wide range of phytoncides and organic acids, which also stimulate the breakdown of cholesterol. At the same time, essential oils help the body to remove all kinds of toxins faster (in particular, sodium compounds).
- Mulberry. Rich in B vitamins 1 , E (is an antioxidant), which resist the oxidation of red blood cells and their adhesion. At the same time, you need to eat only 15-20 grams of mulberry every day to normalize the hematocrit number.
- Olive oil. There is practically no low-density cholesterol in it, but there are a lot of omega-3 acids. All this in total normalizes lipid metabolism.
- Beetroot . Due to the large amount of fiber it contains, it retains fluid in the large intestine. This increases the concentration of potassium, and reduces sodium (which increases the alkalinity of the blood).
- Ginger. According to scientists, it contains over 20 essential oils and organic acids. They, in turn, help to get rid of toxins and reduce the concentration of cholesterol. The only caveat is that you should not abuse it, as it can cause gastritis or exacerbation of gastric ulcer.
- Water. The most common drinking water is the basis of blood plasma, it is also necessary for the body to regulate the salt balance. Doctors recommend drinking at least 1.5 liters of water daily, and with active physical activity – about 3 liters.
It is also worth paying attention to the functionality of the pancreas. In some people, it does not produce certain groups of enzymes, which leads to the accumulation of glucose and fats from certain foods (for example, from milk). In this regard, you should consult with a gastroenterologist and, if necessary, exclude some foods from the diet (even if they should initially reduce blood density and density).
We also suggest reading this table:
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Interesting video
We invite you to view these videos for a better understanding of the topic:
Conclusion
In total, even the correction of the daily diet may be enough to normalize blood viscosity. The main thing is to know which products increase it and which ones decrease it.
But all this should be complemented by a healthy lifestyle. The same nicotine and alcohol, for example, provoke vascular spasms, weakening of their tone, which can also cause thrombosis even with normal blood viscosity.
