Vegetable, Fruits & Spices That Work as Natural Blood Thinners

“Blood is thicker than water” – you must have heard that quite a bit.

It holds its weight in terms of behavioral science. But does ‘thicker, better’ also apply to health?

Not at all.

In fact, thick blood or clots prevent your blood from flowing properly throughout the body, which is deadly.

Although blood-thinning drugs such as Aspirin and Heparin are too numerous to count.

But today we will talk about absolutely natural methods to thin your blood.

So, let’s discuss this. (Natural Blood Thinners)

Reasons for Thick Blood (Causes of Hypercoagulability)

Natural Blood Thinners
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Too thick or too thin blood, both are dangerous. Thick blood can form clots, while thin blood can cause easy bruising and bleeding.

Red blood cells are an important factor in clot formation as they are the highest in number.

Another factor is the presence of Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the blood. The more LDLs in the blood, the thicker the blood.

Another cause is chronic inflammation, which increases the viscosity of the blood. (Natural Blood Thinners)

If we summarize the causes of thick blood, we can say that it is because:

  • Heavy Proteins in the bloodstream or
  • Too many red blood cells (Polycythemia Vera) or
  • Imbalance in the blood coagulation system or
  • Lupus, Inhibitors or
  • Low Antithrombin level or
  • Protein C or S deficiency or
  • mutation in factor 5 or
  • Mutation in Prothrombin or
  • cancer

Thickening of the blood can cause strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. (Natural Blood Thinners)

Natural Blood Thinners

Did You Know: A study by Physicians at Emory University concluded that blood thickness may be associated with inflammation in COVID-19 patients. (Natural Blood Thinners)

6 Ways To Thin Your Blood Naturally

Natural Blood Thinners

Excessive blood clotting is extremely dangerous. In fact, 100,000 people die each year due to blood clots.

It should be noted here that vitamin K does the opposite job, that is, it thickens the blood. Therefore, if you are taking a medication to thin your blood, you should be very careful when taking foods rich in vitamin K.

So, what are the natural ways to thin our blood apart from over-the-counter blood thinners?

It contains high amounts of Salicylate, Omega-3 fatty acids, foods rich in vitamin E and foods with natural antibiotic properties.

Let’s look at natural blood-thinning foods first. (Natural Blood Thinners)

1. Take Food Rich in Vitamin E

Natural Blood Thinners

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, a group of eight compounds, including tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Vitamin E is one of the most natural blood thinners. (Natural Blood Thinners)

Other Functions of Vitamin E

  • It is an antioxidant that protects the body from damage caused by free radicals.
  • It helps the body to strengthen the immune system.
  • It helps the body use vitamin K.
  • It widens the blood vessels and prevents them from clotting.
  • Helps cells perform important functions

Foods that have vitamin E

  • Vegetable Oils (sunflower oil, soybean oil, sesame oil and substitutes, corn oil, etc.)
  • Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, etc.)
  • Seeds (Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)

How much should vitamin E be taken?

The Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board recommends 11 mg/day for children aged 9-13 and 15 mg/day for adults.

How to take it?

  • Vegetable oil, cooking, garnishing, Saute etc. available upon request.
  • Nuts and seeds should be included in the daily diet. (Natural Blood Thinners)

2. Take Omega-3 Fatty Acids Sources

Natural Blood Thinners

A study in Poland discovered that omega-3 fatty acid courses alter the blood clotting process when combined with two blood-thinning drugs, clopidogrel and aspirin. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How Omega-3 Fatty acids act as Blood thinner?

Omega-3 sources have anti-thrombotic and anti-platelet properties that, when added with other factors, increase clot destruction time by 14.3%.

When used with blood thinners, it produces less thrombin, a clotting factor, than experts. (Natural Blood Thinners)

Foods that have Omega-3 acids

There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids, Alpha-linolenic (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

ALA is found in vegetable oils, while DHA and EPA are found in fish and seafood. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How much Omega-3 to Take?

Experts do not recommend any specific amount of omega-3 fatty acids other than ALA, which is 1.6g for men and 1.1g for women. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How to take it?

Include fish such as salmon, tuna sardines, nuts, vegetable oils, and fortified foods in your daily diet. (Natural Blood Thinners)

3. Take Spices Rich in Salicylates

Natural Blood Thinners

Salicylates are richly found in many of the commonly used spices.

They tend to block vitamin K, as evidenced by a number of studies.

Let’s take an overview of salicylate-rich spices. (Natural Blood Thinners)

i. Garlic

Natural Blood Thinners

Garlic is the most common household ingredient for most of our recipes. Allicin, Methyl Allyl etc. Compounds in garlic are said to have anti-thrombotic effects. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How does garlic act as a Blood thinner?

Garlic affects Fibrin and platelets, both of which are integral parts of blood clotting.

As a natural fibroniltaic, it increases fibrinolytic activity. In 1975, Bordia was the first to demonstrate that garlic oil increases fibrinolytic activity after three hours of consumption.

He also concluded that 1 g/kg of fresh garlic increased FA from 36% to 130%.

In addition, garlic and onions have natural antibiotics that can kill intestinal bacteria that produce vitamin K. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How much Garlic to Take?

A clove of garlic two or three times a day is more than enough to reap its incredible benefits. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How to Use Garlic?

It can be taken both raw and cooked.

While it can be used as a sauce in some dishes in its raw form, you can press it while cooking and use it with other ingredients in your meal. (Natural Blood Thinners)

ii. Ginger

Natural Blood Thinners

Ginger is another spice you may know by now as an anti-inflammatory. But it is one of the natural ways to prevent blood clotting. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How does ginger act as a Blood thinner?

Ginger has a natural acid called salicylate, which is one of the key ingredients in aspirin tablets. This is why doctors often recommend aspirin as a blood thinner. (Natural Blood Thinners)

How much garlic to Take?

A dose of 3g per day for at least three months is usually recommended.

How to Use Ginger?

Both fresh rhizomes and dried ones contain enough salicylate to work as an anticoagulant.

Did You Know: According to a study, organic foods have a higher salicylate content than conventional foods.

iii. Cayenne pepper

Natural Blood Thinners

It may sound strange, but yes, cayenne pepper plays a role in thinning our blood. Cayenne pepper is one of the hottest peppers available today.

It is slender, long, slightly curved at the tip, and tends to hang down from the trunk rather than growing upright.

Its temperature is measured between 30k and 50k Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

How cayenne pepper acts as a blood thinner?

Again, like ginger, the ability of cayenne pepper or its substitutes to act as blood thinners is due to the presence of salicylates in it.

How much cayenne pepper to Take?

There is no such medically prescribed dosage of cayenne pepper available. However, according to most reliable manufacturers, a daily intake of between 30mg and 120mg per day is sufficient.

How to Use Cayenne Pepper?

Cooking it in your favorite dish is fine and maybe the only option because you can’t take it by mouth.

Do you know: Although hotter in taste, cayenne pepper can stop bleeding from sharp cuts in seconds

iv. Turmeric

Natural Blood Thinners

Turmeric is a world famous spice famous for its rhizomes.

It is used both fresh and dried by boiling. It not only adds a unique golden color to the dish, but also increases its medicinal value.

In addition to being a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, it is also a powerful anti-coagulant.

How does turmeric act as a Blood thinner?

Curcumin is a natural component in turmeric that has blood thinning properties.

How much to Take?

You should eat 500-1000 mg of turmeric daily.

How to take it?

Curcumin in turmeric is fat soluble. Therefore, it is recommended to be taken with a fatty meal. So use it in your recipes that require cooking.

Salicylates Works Through The Skin AS Well

Salicylates work equally well when rubbed into the skin. A 17-year-old high school athlete died due to overuse of a salicylate-containing cream.

v. Cinnamon

Natural Blood Thinners

Cinnamon is another spice rich in salicylates.

It is obtained from the inner bark of trees of the genus Cinnamomum. Its taste is both spicy and sweet.

How does cinnamon act as a Blood thinner?

Cinnamon is one of those spices rich in salicylates, which are a key factor in thinning the blood.

How much cinnamon to Take?

As with other spices, there is no specific dose of cinnamon. Some recommend 2-4 grams of powder per day. But avoid high doses that can become toxic.

How to use cinnamon?

Since it is a spice, it cannot be taken orally alone. It is better to use in your everyday recipes like curries.

Other spices that contain plenty of salicylates include Dill, Thyme, Thyme, curry powder etc. countable. In other words, almost all of the spices that are an integral part of Indian cuisine are rich in salicylates.

4. Eat Fruits Rich in Salicylates

Natural Blood Thinners

The following are a few of the blood-thinning fruits.

  • Blueberries
  • Cherries
  • Cranberries
  • Grapes
  • Oranges
  • Raisins
  • Strawberries
  • Tangerines

Kitchen Tips

5. Increase Your Iron Level

Natural Blood Thinners

People with low iron levels have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots. Therefore, keep your iron levels high.

Tips for maximizing your dietary iron intake include eating lean red meat, chicken, fish, and consuming foods rich in vitamin C.

6. Exercise

Natural Blood Thinners

Exercise helps you control your weight otherwise it will cause multiple diseases if it rises to a certain level.

Using a fat burning massager is one of the ways to lose your excess fat.

Studies conducted on female athletes have concluded that vigorous exercise reduces the amount of vitamin K.

For this reason, people who travel or stay in bed for a long time are more prone to the formation of blood clots.

In other words, the more inactive you are, the greater the risk of blood clots.

The Bottom Line

There are many blood-thinning medications, but doing it naturally is always the best way. There are three categories of foods that can thin your blood. Foods rich in vitamin E include Omega-3 fatty acid sources, spices, and salicylate-rich fruits.

On the other hand, foods rich in vitamin K are foods that thicken the blood.

How conscious are you about blood thickening? When you see the benefits of natural blood thinners above, do you plan to shape your nutrition plan accordingly? Let us know in the comments section below.

Disclaimer

The above information has been compiled after extensive research from original sources. However, it cannot be taken as an alternative to the professional advice of your healthcare provider.

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