Blood clots are a healthy aspect of the body's healing process. However, if they form unnecessarily, they can cause severe health consequences like a heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolism.
Though drugs are often prescribed for patients at high risk, studies reveal that some foods can be complementary to avoid potentially life-threatening clot formation. Read ahead to learn about the various types of foods that can help prevent blood clots.
Fruits are full of flavonoids, phenols, and antioxidants that assist in lowering inflammation, enhancing cholesterol levels, and inhibiting platelets from aggregating—crucial elements of blood clot prevention.
Listed below are the fruits that help in preventing blood clots:
Grapes
Full of flavonoids and vitamin C, grapes inhibit platelet aggregation and promote vascular well-being.
Blueberries
Rich in anthocyanins and antioxidants, blueberries exhibit significant anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet activity, thereby enhancing blood flow and reducing the risk of clot formation.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate is rich in polyphenols, which increase blood fluidity and potentially reduce arterial plaque, thereby decreasing the risk of thrombosis.
Kiwi
Reducing platelet clumping, kiwi promotes healthy blood flow and may decrease the risk of clotting.
Citrus Fruits
Both flavonoids and vitamin C in citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, are associated with enhanced circulation and decreased clot formation.
Cherries, Apples, Prunes, and Pears
These fruits are also rich in flavonoids and phenols, which support overall cardiovascular health and help prevent blood clots.
Vegetables, especially those high in organosulfur content, can even contribute to minimizing blood clot risk:
Garlic and Onions
Both have organosulfur content that decreases cholesterol production and inhibits platelet clumping.
Leeks
Like garlic and onions, leeks support heart protection and enhanced circulation.
Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes, which contain antiplatelet content, prevent over-clotting.
Some spices and herbs have natural blood-thinning properties, such as:
Ginger
It has chemicals that can reduce the risk of blood clots by inhibiting platelet activity.
Turmeric
Curcumin, the active component in turmeric, is anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet.
Black Pepper
Piperine in black pepper can enhance the absorption of health-promoting polyphenols from other foods, such as pomegranate. This helps reduce blood clotting.
Omega-3 fatty acids are heart-healthy and help reduce inflammation and platelet aggregation. This may reduce the chances of blood clots.
Here are some of the Omega-3-rich foods that one may consider:
Fatty Fish
Fishes like mackerel, tuna, salmon, and sardines improve your heart health and help prevent blood clotting.
Seaweed
Seaweeds are rich in natural anticoagulants that improve blood circulation.
Hemp Seeds
These are plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids that help prevent blood clotting.
Inflammation helps heal cell damage caused by invaders, such as microbes, chemicals, and pollen. However, some foods trigger chronic inflammation, raising risks of diabetes and heart disease, which impair blood flow and clotting.
To reduce the risk of blood clotting, avoid refined and processed foods such as the following:
These items promote inflammation, disrupting healthy blood flow and increasing the likelihood of clot formation. Opt for whole, nutrient-rich alternatives instead.
A diet rich in a variety of phytochemicals (plant compounds with biological activity) lays the groundwork for optimal circulation and vascular health. While not considered essential nutrients, these compounds show considerable promise for reducing the risks of heart disease and cancer. Here’s how:
Flavonoids and phenols help combat arterial plaques, enhance cholesterol profiles, reduce inflammation, and act as antioxidants. These healthy compounds are abundant in fruits (such as grapes, cherries, and citrus), whole grains, nuts, black or green tea, and even moderate amounts of red wine.
Phytoestrogens in legumes and soy also support heart health by regulating cholesterol levels, increasing "good" HDL cholesterol and decreasing "bad" LDL cholesterol. Likewise, organosulfur compounds in garlic, onions, and leeks suppress cholesterol synthesis in the liver, safeguarding cardiovascular function.
Hydration is a key factor in improving blood circulation, yet it is often neglected. Insufficient water intake can cause the blood to become thicker, thereby increasing the risk of blood clots. Drinking enough fluids helps maintain blood viscosity balance, thereby aiding blood circulation.
While these fruits and other food types offer proactive protection, individual needs vary. Consulting a healthcare provider or a nutritionist ensures that your diet aligns with your personal health goals, avoiding unintended interactions or deficiencies.
By prioritizing phytochemical-rich foods, staying hydrated, and seeking professional guidance, you can actively reduce clot risks while promoting long-term vascular resilience.
The table below shows major signs of blood clotting occurrence in the body:
Blood Clotting Place | Major Symptoms |
Brain | Face, legs, and arm numbness Vision loss Speaking and understanding difficulties Headache at an extreme level Dizziness Coordination loss |
Lung | Bleeding with cough Irregular heartbeat Breathing shortness Sudden chest pain Fever Unnatural sweating |
Legs or Arms | Pain Swelling, warmth, and tenderness in legs or arms Blue and red skin discolouration |
Heart | Chest pain Nausea Sweating Headache Breathing issues |
Abdomen | Vomiting Diarrhea Abdominal pain |
Kidney | Tenderness and pain in the upper abdomen Urinal bleeding Fever Vomiting Nausea |
Laboratory tests help diagnose clotting. These are:
Overall health and blood clotting status help to decide treatment options.
Unfractionated heparin, often combined with antithrombin, prevents the formation of new clots. Otherwise, blood-thinning drugs, including betrixaban, edoxaban, apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran, can be prescribed orally. Proper dosage and regular use of these medications help to thin the blood and prevent further clotting.
Thrombolytics are also drugs recommended for specific patients with large blood clots that have failed to respond to anticoagulant drugs. This drug helps to dissolve all blood clots in the body.
This is an elasticated stocking to prevent clots from deep veins in the legs and arms. Compression stocking allows blood to move or flow from the lower legs towards the heart, which helps to relieve painful and swollen blood vessels.
The Vena cava is a large vein that is present in the abdomen and transports blood from the lower body to the lungs and heart. In this treatment process, the surgeon inserts a filter in the vein and removes clots.
Surgical thrombectomy helps to dissolve large blood clots from arteries or veins and improve the nearby tissues.
In some cases, blood clots cause life-threatening challenges, but several oral medications and surgery successfully prevent them from blocking blood vessels. Doctors diagnose serious health conditions through different lab examinations, such as the D-Dimer test, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, and angiography. Anticoagulant medication, a combination of blood-thinning and clot-dissolving drugs, is a better treatment option.