What Should I Drink During Menstruation to Boost Blood Levels?

During the menstrual cycle, women experience bleeding for approximately 3-7 days. This period is accompanied by continuous bleeding, necessitating timely replenishment of blood to restore energy. However, some individuals may lack knowledge about foods or methods for blood replenishment, potentially leading to incorrect practices. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what to consume during menstruation to effectively replenish blood. Suitable options include drinking brown sugar water and consuming red rice, red dates, black rice, and pumpkin, all of which possess blood-enriching properties.

1.1 Brown Sugar Water: Brown sugar water can effectively replenish blood and is recommended during menstruation. Additionally, it helps to warm the body and alleviate menstrual cramps, making it a beneficial choice for women during this time. Regular consumption of brown sugar water is also beneficial for general health.

1.2 Red Rice: Red rice is another excellent source for blood replenishment due to its rich iron content, which helps prevent anemia. Incorporating red rice into meals, such as cooking it together with white rice, can enhance its flavor while promoting blood replenishment during menstruation.

1.3 Red Dates, Pumpkin, and Black Rice Porridge: A delicious and nutritious combination, this porridge made with red dates, pumpkin, and black rice not only tastes great but also effectively replenishes blood. It is highly recommended for women to try this blood-enriching porridge during menstruation.

2.1 Avoid Cold Foods and Favor Warm Foods: According to traditional Chinese medicine, warmth promotes the flow of blood, while coldness can stagnate it. Consuming cold foods during menstruation can hinder digestion, damage the body's yang energy, and lead to internal coldness, which may cause menstrual discomfort or even pain. Therefore, it is advisable to consume warm foods such as seaweed, jujube, sorghum, coix seed, lamb, and apples, while avoiding chilled, slippery, or cold foods like pear, water chestnut, water caltrop, winter melon, Chinese kale, and hempseed.

2.2 Avoid Spicy and Acidic Foods: During menstruation, women may feel particularly fatigued and have reduced digestive function. Therefore, it is important to maintain a bland and easily digestible diet, avoiding excessively acidic or stimulating foods like pickled vegetables, vinegar, chili, mustard, and pepper.

2.3 Prevent Iron Deficiency and Balance Meat and Vegetables: Iron is an essential trace element for the human body, involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin and many vital enzymes. During menstruation, when iron loss is increased, it is crucial to consume iron-rich foods. Animal-based sources like fish, lean meat, liver, and blood are highly bioavailable and easily absorbed by the body. While plant-based sources like soybeans and spinach also contain iron, their absorption rate is lower. Therefore, it is recommended to balance meat and vegetables in the diet during menstruation to meet the special iron requirements of this period.