Cite this page: Nugent, Pam M.S., DENDROPHILIA, in PsychologyDictionary.org, April 7, 2013, https://psychologydictionary.org/dendrophilia/ (accessed January 6, 2018). share Facebook
The American Red Cross recommends eligible blood donors eat a well-balanced diet with extra iron-rich foods prior to their donation this fall. During the fall, iron-rich produce such as broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, spinach, apricots and chard are in season and therefore more abundant. Food can have two types of iron, heme and nonheme. The body can absorb up to 30 percent of heme iron, primarily found in meat, but only 2 to 10 percent of nonheme iron.
Leafy greens contain antioxidants and they're also loaded with a significant amount of folate. Studies have shown that folate-rich foods improve memory by decreasing inflammation and improving blood flow to the brain, says Wright. Folic acid has also been proven to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to a higher risk of heart disease.