6 drinks for healthy circulation (2024)

What drinks help circulation?

Whether you are suffering from circulatory problems like varicose veins, or are simply looking to keep your circulation in good condition, there are several drinks that can help, such as:

1. Tea
2. Beetroot juice
3. Pomegranate juice
4. Orange Juice
5. Smoothies
6. Water.

Read on to find out more about how these drinks can help circulation.

1. Tea

Green and black teas are thought to be quite beneficial for circulation due to their antioxidant properties.^{1, 2} Antioxidants help to protect the body from free radicals which, in excess, can increase the risk of serious issues like heart disease. This occurs when fat builds up in the arteries, thereby disrupting blood flow to the heart.

Antioxidants are found in a variety of food and drinks besides tea, such as fresh fruit and vegetables (strawberries, spinach, kale, blackberries and raspberries), as well as beans and some nuts and seeds. Therefore, we should aim to get as many of these into our diet as possible, in order to keep circulation healthy and reduce the risk of more serious health conditions.

Ginger has also long been thought to offer benefits to our circulatory system as it could help stimulate blood flow. There are now a wide selection of ginger teas available, though lemon and ginger still seems to be a favourite combination according to a recent A.Vogel poll.

2. Beetroot juice

Beetroot juice can benefit our health in a whole host of ways – it is thought to:

• aid recovery after a workout
• boost exercise performance
• help out the immune system
• be good for our eyes!

The reason beetroot is thought to be so helpful during a workout is that it helps dilate the blood vessels. This increases blood flow to the muscles and helps them to work more effectively.

Even if you are not a fitness fanatic, though, your circulatory system can still benefit from more beetroot. Initial research suggests that regular consumption of beetroot juice can help reduce high blood pressure, a problem that occurs when the arteries become partially blocked.³

3. Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranates have been shown to enhance blood flow.⁴ This may be to do with the fact that they are rich in antioxidants, as well as various nutrients. Pomegranate juice is loaded vitamin C, for example, which aids blood flow by strengthening the capillary walls (blood vessels).

Pomegranates also have anti-inflammatory properties which could help if you are experiencing circulatory problems like varicose veins.

4. Orange juice

Citrus fruits like oranges contain lots of antioxidants, as well as vitamin C, which we now know is good for circulation. There's also evidence that frequent intake of citrus fruits may reduce blood pressure, when combined with regular exercise.⁵

When shopping for orange juice, try to avoid any 'from concentrate' as these can be high in sugar, and opt for natural juices instead. It is also worth remembering that only one glass of orange juice goes towards your five-a-day.

5. Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to get a whole variety of nutrients that are essential for healthy circulation, as well as our general health. You can find various smoothie recipes over on our food hub, or why not make your own with some of your favourite fruit and vegetables?

I would recommend adding a little turmeric to your smoothie to give your circulation an added boost. Due to the presence of a compound called curcumin, turmeric is thought to aid blood flow throughout the body.

If you fancy something fruitier, though, watermelon is a good addition as it contains a compound called lycopene. This is thought to help prevent the build-up of plaque in the arteries and, therefore, aids a healthy flow of blood.

6. Water

Finally, we couldn't talk about circulation without mentioning the importance of drinking plenty of water. This too plays a part in facilitating healthy blood flow throughout the body. This makes perfect sense given that blood has a very high water content.

Warm water, in particular, is thought to be beneficial for circulation as chilled liquids can cause the veins to close up.

It is suggested that we aim for 1.5 to 2 litres of plain, still water each day which, if you aren't used to, can seem like rather a lot. So, if you need ideas on how to up your water intake, just take a look at our blog '12 tips to help you drink more water'.

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References

¹https://ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.104.2.151
²https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15226633

³https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707742/
⁴https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4146683/
⁵https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003767/