Foods To Avoid After Donating Blood

Foods High In Calcium

Foods high in calcium reduce the body’s ability to absorb iron. Since somebody who has just given blood needs to replace the iron they have lost, they should avoid eating high-calcium foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese at the same time they take an iron supplement or eat iron-rich foods. Like iron, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6, and vitamin B9 (folate or folic acid) help the body rebuild red blood cells. A blood donor should, therefore, also eat foods containing these nutrients. Foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges or grapefruit, can increase the body’s ability to absorb iron from fruits, vegetables, and grains. Milk is admittedly a good source of vitamin B2, so a blood donor should drink it when they aren’t eating anything with a lot of iron.