The term blood building foods is commonly used in alternative medicine, particularly in Traditional Chinese

Medicine (TCM). Blood building foods are those foods that contain high quantities of specific nutrients
thought to encourage the production of new blood cells in the body. The most important ingredient in a
blood building food is iron, but vitamin B12 and folic acid are also key.

Although many choose simply to strengthen the blood by taking iron pills or liquid iron supplements, eating
a diet high in blood building foods can be equally effective. Some blood building foods are less appetizing
than others, and though they are food, they are generally taken as a supplement rather then simply eaten
as a meal. These include foods like animal liver, brewer’s yeast, bone marrow soup, and black strap
molasses. Colostrum, the milk produced in mammals during the late stages of pregnancy, is also
considered a blood building food. Colostrum is high in antibodies and nutrients needed by newborn
mammals to build blood after birth.

If these options seem unappetizing, there are a number of blood building foods which may have wider
appeal to the palate. These include meats, particularly duck, goose, lamb, and oyster. Dark leafy greens,
such as spinach and wheatgrass, are also particularly high in iron, and are considered a blood building
food. Wheatgrass, and other foods such as raisins, prunes, kidney beans, mushrooms, apricots, and soy
foods can be particularly effective in building blood, especially if one is following a vegetarian diet.

The iron-rich foods listed above are considered particularly potent in blood building potential. Hypothetically
speaking, however, any food that is high in nutrients is beneficial to the blood. Of course, if one wants to
encourage the production of healthy new blood cells, it is also wise to stay away from those foods that offer
little nutritional value, or rob the body of nutrients. Foods such as refined sugar, coffee, and alcohol are
often thought to rob nutrients from the body, not to mention the taxing effect they can have on the liver.

Within the practice of TCM, herbs are also commonly recommended in a blood building regimen. Though
they may not be foods in and of themselves, herbs, spices and extracts taken to build blood are often
derived from foods, or other edible substances. These include ingredients such as licorice, ginger, red
dates, citrus, cardamon, and alfalfa.

Blood building foods, due to their high concentration of iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid, are an effective
way to relieve anemia, fatigue, paleness, coldness of the body, and amenorrhea.