Every Chinese woman knows that one of the biggest secrets to health and beauty is well-nourished blood. When our blood is strong, we tend to have radiant skin, normal menstruation, and vital energy. And when our blood is deficient, we may experience dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, scanty periods, a delayed period, anemia or even premature aging.

I didn’t start to appreciate this ancient wisdom until I personally experienced anemia, dizziness and vertigo around my menstruation a while ago. After that, I knew that it was time to nourish my blood.

Because we women lose a certain amount of blood and iron every month due to menstruation, it’s especially important for us to replenish them on a regular basis.

Here are some simple foods you can use to nourish your blood, naturally.

1. Black Beans

When it comes to three basic categories of nourishment – protein, fiber and anti-oxidant related substances – few foods have as solid a nutritional profile as black beans. Black beans nourish blood, essence and yin, which are all important for women’s health. I make black bean and seaweed soup with my crockpot once a week. It’s so nourishing and delicious!

2. Carrots

Being a rich source of vitamin A, K and C, carrots also contain beta-carotene, which is famous for its antioxidant and blood nourishing properties. It’s good for your eyes, benefits your heart, prevents cancer, and makes your skin glow – from the inside out! Carrots and celery are part of my favorite soup stock, and I can’t live without them. Okay, I’m exaggerating a little.

3. Spinach

Did you know that one cup of cooked spinach contains 1110.6% of the daily requirement of vitamin K, 377.3% of vitamin A, 39.1% of magnesium, 35.7% of iron, 29.4% of vitamin C, 224.7% of vitamin B and 24.4% of calcium? How impressive!

Rich in iron, spinach is an excellent vegetable to replenish the lost iron from our menstrual blood. Hmm, doesn’t a spinach omelet sound wonderful for breakfast?

4. Peanuts

Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. They nourish blood and benefit cardiovascular health. Don’t peel off the red skins when you eat peanuts, though, because a lot of the good stuff is contained there.

5. Chinese Red Dates

There’s a popular Chinese saying: “If you have three dates every day, you’ll remain beautiful until a very old age.” Chinese red dates are known for tonifying blood and calming the mind. Check out my favorite red date tea recipes.

6. Red Beans

Packed with magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin B3 and antioxidants, red beans are beneficial for kidney, bladder and reproductive health. Because they lower the estrogen level in your body, some researches even go as far as saying that red beans help prevent breast cancer.

Personally, I love of all of these blood-nourishing foods. And they are so good for you. How can you beat that!

If you have a yummy recipe on how to make delightful dishes with these foods, please share it with us.

* Image credit: HealthNodes.org