Blood donations help maintain blood reserves to give blood to people when they need it. There are two types of blood donations: whole blood donation and apheresis donation. Whole donations require donation of a whole pint of blood that will either be used whole or separated into blood components, like red blood cells. Apheresis donations are the donations of these components. No matter the type, taking in certain vitamins and fluids beforehand is crucial. This ensures that your blood is as healthy and reliable as possible for someone else to use.
Low-Fat Foods
Donors who have high-fat meals the day before or the day of their donation might have an increased amount of lipids, or fat, in their bloodstream, explains San Diego Blood Bank. Your blood has to go through tests after the donation to check for any infections. If your blood is highly lipemic, or containing an abnormally large amount of lipids, it might affect the test. Avoid granola-based products, like bars and cereals, instant cereals, gravies and sauces, peanuts, bacon, sausage, and any common fatty foods, like donuts and chips. Some low-fat options include skim milk, low-fat cheese, vegetables, fruits, whole-grain bread or bagels, chicken breasts, steamed fish and baked skinless poultry, baked potato chips and broth-based soup. As with all foods, eat meals within four hours before donating.
Water
Drinking plenty of water before your donation helps prepare your body for the loss of fluid during the blood donation. Don't substitute water for caffeinated drinks; these are diuretics, which will cause the body to expel more water. Be sure to drink plenty of water 24 to 48 hours after the donation, as this will help replenish the lost fluids and help your body create new blood right away. Drink an extra 16 oz. of water right before the donation.
Iron-Rich Foods
The biggest reason for turning away blood donors is because they have low iron in their blood. Iron is an essential nutrient and helps to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to all parts of the body so it functions properly, in red blood cells. The average woman needs approximately 18 mg of iron a day and the average man needs around 10 mg daily. This number varies based on the individual; talk to your doctor about how much iron your body needs to take in. Iron-rich foods include red meat, fish, spinach, poultry, beans, pumpkin seeds, water melon and raisins. If your body can't support more iron in your diet, ask your doctor about iron supplements. Start eating iron-rich floods two to four weeks before donating to ensure good iron count.
Certain Juices
Certain juices are going to help replenish your fluids before and after donation. They also help you achieve the iron count you need to be eligible to give blood. Try canned prune juice: Three-quarters of a cup of prune juice yields 7.4 mg of iron. With the same measurement, canned tomato juice will yield 1.6 mg and canned apple juice 1.1 mg.
Blood-Sugar Stabilizers
Light-headedness is a common side effect of donating blood, and eating foods that stabilize the blood sugar will help ward off or mitigate this light-headedness. Examples of stabilizers include a cup of skim milk, 8 oz. of non-fat yogurt, spinach, cinnamon and bread products with at least 3 g of fiber. Eat these foods the morning of the donation; however, as with all foods before donation, try not to eat these stabilizers too close to your appointment; this can cause an upset stomach.
