5 Foods That Help Improve Blood Circulation

Do you ever get cold feet? In this case, we’re not referring to getting nervous and backing out of something. We’re talking about toes that feel like icicles no matter how many pairs of socks you wear. Maybe you’ve noticed numbness or tingling sensations or even swelling and discomfort in your feet, legs, and ankles. These are all signs that you may need to improve your blood circulation.

We’ve got a list of five foods that help encourage healthy blood circulation, but first let’s take a look at the symptoms related to poor blood flow and what can cause issues with circulation. 

Symptoms of Poor Blood Circulation

Have you ever given any thought to how well your blood is circulating? Most people don’t think much about it until there’s a problem. Swelling and numbness in the hands and feet, along with always feeling cold, can be frustrating and can lead to issues like varicose veins and ulcers in the legs and feet. But those aren’t the only negative effects of poor blood circulation.

Did you know that poor blood circulation can affect your overall wellbeing? In addition to the physical symptoms of the hands and feet, sluggish blood flow can also affect your gut. Your digestive system needs healthy blood flow to function optimally. Without good blood circulation, you could experience pain, cramping, constipation, or diarrhea.

Even more concerning, blood circulation issues can affect the brain. As you probably know, a healthy brain is a huge component of healthy aging. Your brain needs a steady flow of blood to perform at its fullest potential. When your blood isn’t circulating properly, you can have problems with memory and concentration.

As you can see, the role that good blood circulation plays in your overall health can’t be emphasized enough.

What Causes Problems with Blood Flow?

There are various reasons your circulation may not be functioning as well as it used to.

Issues with the veins can contribute to circulatory problems. While poor blood circulation can cause venous issues, it can also be exacerbated by the problem veins. It’s a bit like the chicken and the egg theory. For example, varicose veins can affect proper blood flow since they aren’t as efficient at moving the blood along through them. The lack of proper blood flow can then make varicose veins appear more prominent.

Your blood circulation could also be impaired due to a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting or standing for hours on end can result in stagnant blood flow. Think of it like a river versus a pond. The water in a river flows, but in a pond, however, the water remains fairly stagnant and can get murky. You want to keep your blood flowing to prevent the murkiness that leads to discomfort. 

5 Foods to Eat for Healthy Blood Circulation

You’re aware of some of the lifestyle changes you can make to promote your blood flow, such as increasing your activity levels and taking actions to deal with varicose veins and other vein problems. In addition to these, you can also give your blood circulation a helping hand by eating certain types of foods.

We’ll go over five different foods that promote healthy blood circulation and tell you how you can incorporate them into your diet.

Beets

Beets are a nitrate-rich root vegetable. The nitrate in foods is converted into nitric oxide which helps relax the blood vessels and encourages better blood flow and circulation. After you consume beets, or any nitrate-rich food, the positive effects will last for about six hours, so you’ll want to eat them regularly to keep your blood nitrate levels elevated.

Tip: Dietary nitrate is more bioavailable in raw beets, so opt for raw over cooked when possible.

How to use them:

• Add some sliced or shredded beets to a salad.
• Make homemade borscht.

Fatty Fish

Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids that help support the release of nitric oxide within the walls of the blood vessels. This enables the blood vessels to dilate and encourage increased blood flow. The World Health Organization recommends consuming two servings of fatty fish each week.

Tip: Wild-caught fish and seafood have higher omega-3 content than farm-raised.

How to use them:

• Swap out your regular tuna sandwich for a salmon salad sandwich.
• Use shrimp in place of chicken in a stir fry.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits contain flavonoids that promote nitric oxide production. Studies have shown that the flavonoids in citrus fruits act as vasorelaxants, which helps to keep your vascular system toned. Strong, healthy veins support good blood circulation, so consider adding some citrus fruit to your diet to support your vein health.

Tip: The processing and storage of store-bought citrus juices can degrade some of the flavonoid content, so it’s best to consume the whole fruits or juice them yourself at home.

How to use them:

• Mandarins and clementine are the most portable, easy to snack on citrus fruits.
• Have lemon slices in your water.
• Squeeze a lemon wedge on your fish.

Berries

Berries contain anthocyanins that stimulate the release of nitric oxide. Anthocyanins are flavonoids that act as antioxidants. They are responsible for the deep, dark shades of berries.

A study found that participants who consumed the highest amount of anthocyanins had an 8% reduction in the risk of developing high blood pressure than those who had the lowest anthocyanin consumption. This is due to the vasodilating effects of anthocyanin.

Tip: Eating just one cup of berries per week can have a beneficial effect on your blood circulation.

How to use them:

• Have berries in a breakfast smoothie.
• Add a handful of berries to Greek yogurt for a snack.
• When you treat yourself to cake or ice cream, toss some berries on top.

Walnuts

Walnuts contain ALA, short for alpha-linolenic acid, which are omega-3 fatty acids that help to promote the elasticity of the blood vessels. Participants in one study showed more flexibility in their blood vessels, along with lower blood pressure, when they increased their walnut intake for eight weeks.

Tip: Raw and roasted walnuts don’t differ much in their nutritional content, so feel free to choose either one. The roasting process can make walnuts more vulnerable to rancidity, so just make sure to purchase roasted walnuts that are in a container that protects them from light and air.

How to use them:

• Add some chopped walnuts to oatmeal.
• Use walnuts in your cookies.
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts over a salad.

Summary

Now you know how important it is to have healthy blood circulation for your physical and mental wellbeing. You also know the signals your body may be sending out to tell you that it needs some help getting things flowing. You’ve seen how easy it can be to eat your way to healthier blood circulation. Adding more of the five featured foods to your diet can help alleviate or prevent some of the symptoms of poor blood flow.

While a healthy diet and lifestyle are extremely helpful for proper blood circulation, it’s important to seek out professional care if the problem persists. If you’re experiencing symptoms of poor blood circulation that don’t respond to diet and lifestyle changes, contact us today to book an appointment.