Does pomegranate juice increase hemoglobin levels in the blood?

How to increase hemoglobin: Pixabay Lack of iron in the body causes the development of complex diseases of internal organs. This condition is especially unsafe for pregnant women and young children. Doctors have recipes on how to get rid of anemia using non-drug means. Let's take a closer look at how to increase hemoglobin using folk remedies and subsequently prevent iron deficiency in the body.

Effect on the circulatory system

Fruits with many grains grow in tropical and subtropical climates on a low tree (up to 5-6 m) with smooth leathery leaves. The name fruit is conditional. The correct term is "grenade".

Interesting ! In Ancient Greece and Rome, for medicinal purposes, pomegranates were eaten together with the skin and partitions; now they prefer the juice.

The chemical composition of the fruit is rich. It is dominated by:

• vitamins - ascorbic and nicotinic acid, tocopherol, niacin, group of vitamins B - B1, B4, B5, B6;
• minerals - potassium, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, aluminum, boron, iodine, copper, rubidium, fluorine.

Also contains organic acids, anthocyanins, dietary fiber. It should be said separately about iron - 1 mg per 100 g. This is why it is recommended to eat fruits and drink pomegranate juice to increase hemoglobin.

Beneficial substances, absorbed into the circulatory system, improve bone marrow function and stimulate the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin - its level increases. The distribution of oxygen throughout organs and tissues is normalized, and carbon dioxide is completely removed. The functioning of the cardiovascular system is stabilized, and the overall tone of the body increases.

Attention ! The absorption of iron that enters the body from food depends on the acidity of the stomach. The higher it is, the faster the transformation occurs. Pomegranate contains a high amount of ascorbic acid, due to which the microelement, which prevents the development of anemia, is easily absorbed.

Effect on immunity

But pomegranate not only increases hemoglobin. Scientific research has proven a positive effect on the immune system. Thanks to the easily digestible vitamin-mineral complex, the reserve of useful substances is replenished, organs and systems function stably.

Human immunity depends on a complex of bacteria (lacto- and bifido-) colonizing the small intestine. Thanks to them, the food bolus is completely processed and the nutrients necessary for normal life are absorbed. Pomegranate contains dietary fiber, which creates favorable conditions for the existence of beneficial microflora and ensures the removal of waste and toxins from the intestines. To normalize the digestive process, it is enough to eat 100 g of grains per day.

This healthy breakfast, which helps boost immunity, undermined by ARVI diseases and long-term use of antibiotics, is suitable for adults and children. Grate 100 g of apples, chop 10 walnut kernels and pour pomegranate juice. Another option is to season the muesli not with milk, but with a ruby ​​drink. Sweeten with honey.

Using the following recipe, only adults increase hemoglobin and immunity. Dry the peel of 1 pomegranate, add 100 ml of vodka, leave for 10 days in a dark place. Then filter and take 20-30 drops before bedtime, dissolving in 1-2 tbsp. l. water.

Myth No. 2. Pomegranate juice can be used to treat

It is believed that pomegranate juice should be drunk to improve blood formation, as well as with low levels of iron and hemoglobin.

“In fact, nothing can be treated with pomegranate juice; its advantages are purely culinary. If iron and hemoglobin are already reduced, medications are needed in tablets, and sometimes in the form of intravenous injections,” says Alexey Paramonov. And maintaining normal iron levels solely with the help of juice is also problematic: one glass contains only 0.249 mg of the mineral. That is, in order to get any closer to the daily norm of 8-27 mg, you will have to drink at least two liters per day, which can lead to too much sugar. In general, a smarter option is to drink one glass of pomegranate juice periodically and regularly include a variety of foods higher in iron in your diet.

A doctor can recommend adding pomegranate juice to the diet only in one case: when a patient with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract needs to recover from strict diets (for example, Pevzner’s fifth or first), which often lead to a deficiency of vitamins and body weight. In this situation, juice can improve the situation.

Consumption rate

To prevent iron deficiency anemia, it is enough to eat 1 fruit per day or drink 250 ml (1 glass) of juice. In order not to increase the load on the digestive organs, it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3. But even 50 ml of the drink, when consumed daily, supports the immune system.

To increase hemoglobin, eat 2 pomegranates per day or drink 400 ml of juice, diluted with water. Increasing the “dosage” can provoke digestive disorders. The course of treatment is 2-3 months, then you need to take a break for the same period of time.

Only a freshly squeezed drink is used - it contains store-bought dyes, food additives, and preservatives that extend shelf life. The cheap option is made from apple concentrate.

To extract juice, you can peel the fruit and squeeze the grains by hand, through cheesecloth, or use a juicer. This drink is healthier because it contains a large amount of dietary fiber. There is another way of making it: mash the whole fruit, and then carefully make a hole in the peel and drain the liquid.

Attention ! To prevent tooth enamel from darkening and cracking, you should drink the juice through a straw.

How to choose the right pomegranate juice if you really want it

Ideally, of course, cook it yourself. For one glass you will need 2-3 fruits. A juicer, hand citrus press or blender will help. But if you can’t make a drink at home, buy a freshly squeezed one at the market (it’s better if they prepare it in front of you).

As a last resort, find a high-quality option in the store: it should be labeled “100% pomegranate juice,” directly pressed, with a simple composition (that is, the drink should not contain anything other than pomegranate), cost no less than 160-200 rubles per liter and produced from September to November.

Paramonov Alexey Dmitrievich gastroenterologist

, Ph.D.

Useful properties of pomegranate

The fruits are widely used in folk medicine. Water and alcohol infusions from the crusts are used to treat diarrhea. including infectious etiology, to increase appetite, accelerate the regeneration of epithelial tissue and mucous membranes.

Fruits have:

• anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects;
• prevent the development of coronary disease;
• reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes;
• normalize the functioning of the digestive system and have a strengthening effect.

Pomegranate juice increases hemoglobin, accelerates weight loss, and stimulates the production of enzymes that speed up food digestion. Calorie content of pomegranate is 72 kcal per 100 g, juice - 50-52 kcal, respectively.

Myth No. 1. Pomegranate juice is beneficial

Not really. The pomegranate itself actually contains a lot of substances that have antioxidant properties: flavonoids, anthocyanins, polyphenols, catechins and punicalagins. Plus, 100 g (a large handful) of grains contains 21% of the daily value of vitamin K, 17% of vitamin C and 16% of fiber.

The situation is different with pomegranate juice. “There is a general rule: juices are drinks with a high sugar content - 100 ml of pomegranate juice contains about 14% - and a low content of vitamins. Therefore, they are more harmful than useful,” says Alexey Paramonov, gastroenterologist at the Rassvet clinic. In other words, you can drink occasionally, but whole grains provide more benefits.

Harm of pomegranate

Contraindications to the use of the healthy fruit and the drink prepared from it are:

• increased acidity of gastric juice;
• chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage - peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, gastritis, pancreatitis, erosive damage to the mucosa;
• tendency to constipation;
• partial intestinal obstruction and diverticulosis;
• acute inflammatory processes of the kidneys;
• urolithiasis and cholelithiasis.

The recommended dosage is reduced with increased blood viscosity. Contraindications are not absolute; if the condition is satisfactory, you can eat a handful of grains or drink a few sips of juice.

You should not give the crusts to children - they contain alkaloids, which can cause intoxication. Like all red fruits, pomegranates have an increased allergenic hazard. When first “acquainting” with taste, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of developing individual intolerance.

Diet for high hemoglobin

High hemoglobin levels can indicate many diseases.
If you have high hemoglobin, you should follow a certain diet. Find out which foods to include in your diet if you have high hemoglobin and what to avoid. What is hemoglobin Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells, which consists of globin (protein) and heme (iron compound). Blood turns red due to iron atoms. Hemoglobin transports oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. Men's blood contains more hemoglobin than women's blood. Hemoglobin norms: for men 135-160 g per liter of blood, for women 120-140 g per liter of blood.

Human blood circulation diagram

Why does hemoglobin increase? An increased level of hemoglobin may indicate diseases such as:

• increase in the level of red blood cells in the blood,
• blood thickening,
• intestinal obstruction,
• burns,
• cardiopulmonary failure,
• diabetes,
• Chronical bronchitis,
• pneumonia.

Smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the blood, so hemoglobin increases. But elevated hemoglobin does not always mean an illness or a deviation from the norm. Hemoglobin increases after intense physical exertion, that is, in athletes and people who engage in active sports. Also for rock climbers and pilots, because they spend a lot of time at altitude. Elevated hemoglobin levels are normal for people who live in mountainous areas. Nutrition for high hemoglobin

Basic principles of nutrition for high hemoglobin:

• drink as much fluid as possible,
• reduce consumption of meat, offal, proteins,
• eat plant proteins: soy, legumes,
• it is allowed to eat fish and seafood in small quantities,
• the basis of nutrition is porridge,
• you should eat as many vegetables as possible - raw or cooked,
• fruits should be consumed.

The diet for people with high hemoglobin does not exclude iron-containing foods. The diet should be selected taking into account the factors due to which the level of hemoglobin in the blood has increased.

You Should Eat the Right Dietary Iron Different foods contain dietary iron, which is divided into heme and non-heme iron. These two types of iron differ in their absorption in the human body. Heme iron is easily absorbed, while non-heme iron is absorbed slowly. Therefore, if you have high hemoglobin, you should eat foods that contain non-heme iron to prevent iron from being absorbed into the blood. Heme iron is found in animal products, and non-heme iron is found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

Healthy foods for high hemoglobin You need to eat foods containing non-heme iron that help normalize hemoglobin levels: rice, whole grain bread, tofu, beans, spinach, grapes, apricots, nuts. Non-heme iron content in food Soybeans (boiled) 100 g - 5.14 mg of iron, lentils (boiled) - 4 mg, spinach (boiled) - 3.57 mg, tofu 100 g - 6 mg, boiled chickpeas 100 g - 3 mg.

Liquid is a cure for high hemoglobin. Using plain water with the addition of lemon juice, you can thin the blood, thereby bringing hemoglobin back to normal. If you have elevated hemoglobin, you should drink 2-3 liters of liquid per day. You can drink water, tea (black, green), compotes (without sugar), but exclude juices and carbonated drinks. Dehydration can lead to an increase in hemoglobin, so you should drink plenty of fluids. Dairy products are rich in calcium, so they interfere with the absorption of iron into the body.

Foods that should be avoided Some foods should be completely excluded from the diet if you have elevated hemoglobin, because they most often contain heme iron and can be harmful to the body:

• Alcoholic drinks should be completely avoided. Because when iron and ethyl alcohol are combined, harmful elements are formed that disrupt the functioning of the liver. Alcohol also improves the absorption of iron, which leads to an increase in hemoglobin in the blood. Alcohol breakdown products stimulate hematopoiesis, so people who frequently drink alcohol have increased hemoglobin levels.
• Fish and seafood are rich in heme iron, so you need to say no to raw, dried and red fish. The body's condition will worsen due to eating raw fish (this applies to lovers of sushi and rolls). Because bacteria found in unprocessed fish cause infectious diseases in people with high iron levels in the blood. You can eat well-cooked fish or seafood.
• Sweets and sugar-containing foods should be excluded from the diet. Cakes, buns and pastries do not contain heme iron, but eating them promotes the absorption of iron even from foods containing non-heme iron.
• It is recommended to completely exclude red meat from the diet. It is allowed to eat lean meat. You should also avoid all types of liver.
• Red fruits, vegetables and berries should be excluded because they are rich in substances that stimulate an increase in hemoglobin. You should not eat apples due to their high iron content.

If your hemoglobin level is elevated, you should consult your doctor to determine how best to normalize hemoglobin in your blood, if necessary.

Eating pomegranate to increase hemoglobin

Recipes for iron absorption in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia:

1. For young women and men whose disease is caused by temporary health problems. In the morning they eat half the fruit with seeds, and in the evening 10 walnut kernels.
2. Universal method. Mix 20 g of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, 0.5 tsp. lemon, 2.5 tbsp. l. warm water, sweeten with honey. Drink during the day.
3. With a healthy stomach, after taking antibiotics. Mix lemon and pomegranate juices in a 1:1 ratio. Dilute with water 1:3, sweeten with honey. Take 2-4 tbsp per day. l.

10 more foods to include in your diet

To achieve the best result, in addition to pomegranate, you should include in your diet other food groups that help normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular, immune, endocrine and reproductive systems, namely:

1. fish - wild fish grown without direct human intervention are the healthiest, first of all you should pay attention to salmon, sturgeon, cod, pollock, whitefish, nelma, muksun, omul, etc.;
2. nuts - walnuts, hazelnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, Brazilian;
3. porridge - rice, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal, rolled oats, etc.;
4. dairy products - adults are better off with low-lactose dairy products;
5. oils - olive, linseed, sesame, etc.;
6. other fruits, citrus fruits, berries and vegetables (apple, lemon, beets, pumpkin, grapes, watermelon, peaches, etc.);
7. green tea - in small portions, without sugar;
8. cognac - rarely and in limited quantities;
9. dry red wine - experts recommend limiting yourself to one glass per day and two on the occasion of a feast;
10. natural coffee - in small quantities.

In addition, the absence of bad habits, especially smoking, stress, regular exercise and fresh air, is very important for heart health and blood composition.