Can I eat before donating blood?

Mar 31, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Disease description:

I want to donate blood this week, just 400 ml. As it's my first time donating blood, I'm worried about experiencing any physical abnormalities. I'd like to ask if I can eat before donating blood?

Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng

You can eat before donating blood, and proper consumption is beneficial to the blood donation process. If you do not eat and donate blood on an empty stomach, you may experience symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, pale complexion, nausea, and sweating. Therefore, it's important to maintain normal eating habits before donating blood, but please note the following points:

1. Food selection: Choose light, easily digestible foods such as porridge, noodles, and vegetables. Avoid greasy, spicy, irritating, or hard-to-digest foods such as alcohol, braised pork, or pig trotters, which may affect blood quality.

2. Timing of meals: Ideally, eat two hours before donating blood. Half an hour before donation, you may consume biscuits or drinks with high sugar content in moderation to prevent energy deficiency caused by blood loss after donation.

Appropriate eating before donating blood ensures the safety of the donation process and the donor's health. With proper nutrition, not only can adverse reactions such as hypoglycemia be avoided, but the comfort level during donation can also be increased, ensuring the smooth progress of blood donation activities. Before planning to donate blood, donors are advised to follow the guidance of medical staff and choose healthy, moderate foods.