Your diet affects every part of your body, including your blood. In fact, some foods have very specific effects as blood thinners. Blood thinners can be important for managing the anti-coagulant properties of your blood, which can help in reducing your risk of clotting. Here are some natural blood thinners to keep in mind.
A shot of turmeric is your best shot
Perhaps the single best natural blood thinner, gram per gram, is turmeric. This spice is best known for being in curries and giving them their yellow color. Long used as a medicine, it has anticoagulant ingredients inside of it, as well as having anti-inflammatory properties. Aside from taking it in curries, a lot of people will make a turmeric tea to get all those good health benefits.)
Add some spice (cayenne pepper to be specific)
If you don’t mind a little spice, then cayenne peppers could be just the thing for you. You can add it to meals for that little extra kick, but there are also cayenne pepper capsules that you can get in most health and wellness stores. Aside from containing salicylates, which have blood-thinning properties, cayenne pepper can also lower your blood pressure, increase circulation, and even has some painkilling properties. As such, it’s good to have some in your diet regardless.
A sprinkle of cinnamon
Coumarin, a chemical that acts as an anti-coagulant, can be found in cinnamon. Cinnamon is also one of the most versatile natural blood thinners that you can take, including in bread, cakes, and teas. It may be able to also lower blood pressure and offer some relief for inflammation. However, it’s recommended that you don’t take it too often, as too much cinnamon can be bad for the liver. As such, it’s best used in moderation alongside the other examples named here.
What about coffee?
Now, to address a food that is often said to have anti-coagulant properties. But in reality, is coffee a blood thinner? It’s hard to isolate it and say decisively whether it’s a yes or a no, but as it stands, there is no proof that coffee is a blood thinner. This is a misconception that has probably arisen due to caffeine’s effects on blood pressure. Coffee in moderation can decrease your risk of heart disease, but it can also increase your blood pressure if you take too much.
Foods that contain vitamin E
This is less of a specific foodstuff, but vitamin E can play an important role in any heart-healthy diet. It acts as a mild anti-coagulant, reduces oxidative stress (which can affect the heart as well as the rest of the body), and has been tied to reduced risks of coronary heart disease in some studies. It might even help manage diabetes. It can be found in a variety of foods, but seeds, cooking oils, and nuts are some of the most vitamin E-packed foods you will find.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that if you’re already on blood thinners, avoiding the foods above might be the best bet for you. Other foods to keep in mind are ginger, garlic, and bromelain (which is in pineapples.)
