Boosting your body’s ability to capture and use oxygen is essential; particularly in these pandemic-infested days.
Luckily for us, it can be done quite easily with a well-planned diet containing foods rich in certain micronutrients.
But first, how does our body use oxygen?
That’s the work of hemoglobin — an oxygen-binding protein found in our red blood cells. To produce enough of it, we require several vitamins and minerals crucial for its synthesis. These include:
- iron
- copper
- zinc
- vitamin C
- vitamin A
- vitamin B2
- vitamin B3
- vitamin B5
- vitamin B6
- vitamin B9
- vitamin B12
Hence, getting these through our meals is essential to prevent anemia and hypoxia.
Since food information is available almost anywhere, calculating exactly how many of these micronutrients you consume daily is fairly simple. What’s more, some meal delivery services even display vitamin content and other nutritional values of each dish.
That said, here are the top 5 foods that contain potent mixes of the hemoglobin-boosting micronutrients.
1. Cantaloupe Juice
Your juicer is your main ally when it comes to obtaining the crucial vitamins C and A that help keep your blood well supplied with oxygen. Fruits such as cantaloupe, mango, and red grapefruit are abundant with said vitamins.
In short, Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron in the body, whereas vitamin A prevents anemia.
2. Oysters
Oysters are the ultimate hemoglobin-friendly food because they contain iron, zinc, copper, and vitamin B12 — all of which are essential for hemoglobin production.
3. Beef Liver
It is labeled as a nutrient-rich superfood because it contains many hard-to-find vitamins and minerals. These include iron, riboflavin, folate, niacin, vitamin B5, B6, and B12.
4. Salmon
Salmon is often labeled as the fish superfood. It is rich in iron, selenium, potassium, and vitamins D, E, B3, B5, B6, and B12.
5. Beetroot
Beetroots are full of vitamins (folate, vitamin C), minerals (iron, manganese, potassium), plus antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
