Blood - The most overlooked nutrient?

[Paleo Donk]

Not being able to eat freshly killed animals has bothered me for quite some time. It would make sense that if humans were truly top level predators that we would have adapted to needing the nutrition in blood for optimal health. I think virtually all the blood is drained after slaughtering and so all the meat that I have been eating is absent of this very nutrient rich substance.

I'm also wondering if not drinking blood would be the reason why permanent supplementation might be a good idea and why so many people seem to be deficient in magnesium, zinc, sodium, iodine, etc...

The below link contains reference ranges for amounts of nutrients in human blood on SAD, which I assume to be fairly similar to that of the rest of the animal kingdom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_ranges_for_blood_tests#Electrolytes_and_Metabolites


Here are a few examples per liter of blood

Sodium - .33g
Potassium - .2g
Chloride - 3.5g
Copper - 1mg
Zinc - 1mg
Magnesium - 23mg
total protein - 75g

I'm not sure what to think of that enormous protein amount, which is almost all albumin and globulin.

[TylerDurden]

I regularly drink some blood from my raw wild hare carcasses(up to a pint per carcass).I've also sometimes drunk raw blood from 100% grassfed, organic animals but  it tastes so bland I didn't much like it(I cannot stand the taste of blood from grainfed animals). By contrast, the blood from raw wild game has an excellent tang and gives a great feeling - and I can tell it is very high in nutrients that I might need.

I've also gone without blood at times, and haven't felt I'd suffered as a result.I'm not sure it's that essential.

[goodsamaritan]

What's the info on the blood drinking herdsmen in Africa?  They may provide clues.

Barbecued blood and cooked blood dishes are popular in my country. Maybe people crave it.

I know I crave for blood soup at times but lately I remember that raw liver meets the same craving as well.

[Josh]

If you eat variably and have periods of going hungry, then perhaps these nutrient-dense foods  would be very helpful...if you're eating well every day, then perhaps you're getting enough from muscle meat anyway.

[Hans89]

I regularly drink some blood from my raw wild hare carcasses(up to a pint per carcass).I've also sometimes drunk raw blood from 100% grassfed, organic animals but  it tastes so bland I didn't much like it(I cannot stand the taste of blood from grainfed animals). By contrast, the blood from raw wild game has an excellent tang and gives a great feeling - and I can tell it is very high in nutrients that I might need.

I've also gone without blood at times, and haven't felt I'd suffered as a result.I'm not sure it's that essential.

You buy your meat at farmers' markets, correct? I've been asking for blood at my suppliers, but they all turned me down so far. Do you get the hare carcasses from hunters? they are still whole? Doesn't the blood clod in them?

[actionhero]

Not being able to eat freshly killed animals has bothered me for quite some time. It would make sense that if humans were truly top level predators that we would have adapted to needing the nutrition in blood for optimal health. I think virtually all the blood is drained after slaughtering and so all the meat that I have been eating is absent of this very nutrient rich substance.

YES, I agree with this 100%. I also think the blood, meat and organs are more alive directly after the kill which allows you to absorb some of the life force of the animal. I know it sounds pretty mystical but I'm certain there is something to it. Check out the video of the man eating that just killed reindeer and drinking fresh blood, it looks so good.

[TylerDurden]

YES, I agree with this 100%. I also think the blood, meat and organs are more alive directly after the kill which allows you to absorb some of the life force of the animal. I know it sounds pretty mystical but I'm certain there is something to it. Check out the video of the man eating that just killed reindeer and drinking fresh blood, it looks so good.

Fruitarians also claim this  "bioenergy" exists within fresh fruits. It sounds convincing - yet I actually feel more full of energy after eating high-meat than any fresh raw meat.

[actionhero]

Fruitarians also claim this  "bioenergy" exists within fresh fruits. It sounds convincing - yet I actually feel more full of energy after eating high-meat than any fresh raw meat.

Well having been one I know this to be true. Dry fruit or rehydrated fruit doesn't even come close to ripe fresh fruit in terms of energizing the body. And it's not just water, there really is something going on.

Re high meat, I can't comment on this as I have yet to try high meat but there is a difference between mood elevation and increased potential for explosive power and endurance. 

[TylerDurden]

Dried fruit routinely contains artificial preservatives such as sulphurites  which cause additional health-problems.

[sven]

Please list your sources/how you are getting blood.  I'm hitting dead ends everywhere   

[TylerDurden]

You buy your meat at farmers' markets, correct? I've been asking for blood at my suppliers, but they all turned me down so far. Do you get the hare carcasses from hunters? they are still whole? Doesn't the blood clod in them?

 I get most of my raw meats/raw organ-meats from local farmers' markets(which are, incidentally, excellent, being semi-organic at least and wild/wildcaught at best etc.). The wild hare carcasses I get are all vacuum-packed which means they all have some amount of raw, wild  blood in them, up to a pint. Hunters, in the UK, are mostly farmers(no other profession has the time or opportunity to indulge regularly in such a (seasonal) rural sport such as hunting) so that's why I have more opportunity to get hold of raw wild game such as raw wild mallard duck carcasses, raw wild venison or raw wild hare carcasses. And the blood doesn't clot, presumably because it's all sealed within a vacuum-packed seal.

[TylerDurden]

Please list your sources/how you are getting blood.  I'm hitting dead ends everywhere   

Like I said, farmers are the most frequent hunters for a number of reasons, so contact every grassfed/wild farmer you can find to see if they hunt from time to time. The catch is that , in the US at least(not the UK yet, thank god), for understandable environmental reasons, wild game is unavailable legally. You can get hold of raw wild game if you have access to a friendly hunter(usually a farmer) - these will, if you're a friend, give it to you for free because it's legal to give wild game to you but not to sell it, but that's about it. Other than that, either hunt wild game yourself(relatively easy to do in the USA given the wonderful  2nd amendment) or buy(via delivery) from a farm that specialises in rearing relatively wild (raw) game such as NorthStar Bison etc.

[invisible]

Are you sure it's actually blood or just juices from the meat?

[TylerDurden]

Are you sure it's actually blood or just juices from the meat?

Yes, it's definitely blood.

[kurite]

So is blood like the ultimate natural electrolye drink?

[djr_81]

So is blood like the ultimate natural electrolye drink?

Absolutely. It's got everything in the perfect quantities to nourish and enrich one's own lifeblood; can't get better than that.

[Paleo Donk]

Has anyone found any online sources for frozen blood? Is frozen blood worth getting?

Do I basically have to be present at the slaughtering to get me a hold of some blood?

[djr_81]

Has anyone found any online sources for frozen blood? Is frozen blood worth getting?

Do I basically have to be present at the slaughtering to get me a hold of some blood?

I've not searched but knowing this country's overzealous leanings towards sterility it's probably going to be impossible to find any online. You'd have to find a little shop in an ethnic section of a city (or build a good relationship with an abbatoir) to find a place to get blood. Alternatively find a hunter (or hunt yourself) and get the blood from a fresh kill.

[sven]

I messaged Savage a while back because he drinks blood and I wanted more info, here was his response:::::

Quoting Savage::
"I got 4 gallons(frozen) it had an additive (anti-coagulant) I think and the date was 09, it gave me diarrhea and an upset stomach and it didn't taste good.

This is NOT how fresh blood from slaughtered animals affects me, unless you're drinking that, forget the frozen stuff.

If you buy a live lamb/goat (not too expensive) you can save the blood and drink it. I have no idea if it has a good amount of electrolytes, iron, etc.... or any special benefit, I just eat/drink what tastes good to me as long as I can obtain it from an animal with no equipment."

[MaximilianKohler]

Please list your sources/how you are getting blood.  I'm hitting dead ends everywhere   

I first went to some local farmer's markets and asked if I could get fresh, never frozen organ meats. One guy said no and another guy gave me the number of the grass-fed beef butcher he gets his stuff from. Then from the butcher I can get fresh almost anything. Only for the blood I had to go to the place that slaughters the animal to pick up the blood.

I wonder if it would be ideal to only drink blood and not even eat any meat or fat.... I'd really like to know more about this... I'm thinking about only drinking beef blood and goat milk.

Also, I agree about the bioenergy thing. I think it's very real. I crave meat/blood from a freshly hunted animal. Even fruits picked directly off the tree seem to have "something more to them".

[magnetic]

I first went to some local farmer's markets and asked if I could get fresh, never frozen organ meats. One guy said no and another guy gave me the number of the grass-fed beef butcher he gets his stuff from. Then from the butcher I can get fresh almost anything. Only for the blood I had to go to the place that slaughters the animal to pick up the blood.

I wonder if it would be ideal to only drink blood and not even eat any meat or fat.... I'd really like to know more about this... I'm thinking about only drinking beef blood and goat milk.

Also, I agree about the bioenergy thing. I think it's very real. I crave meat/blood from a freshly hunted animal. Even fruits picked directly off the tree seem to have "something more to them".

I am ordering a quarter of beef soon here in the U.S.  I am going to request the blood from the butcher, I will let everyone know what I come up with.

[RawZi]

... I'm thinking about only drinking beef blood and goat milk. ...

    Why?  Do you think this would be good indefinitely?  I want to know what happens and what you learn.

[MaximilianKohler]

    Why?  Do you think this would be good indefinitely?  I want to know what happens and what you learn.

because it seems like it would be the easiest/quickest form of quality nourishment to digest. Whenever I do juice fasts I always get increased strength & energy. Seems like if I did that with blood/milk it should be much healthier and would I even need anything else?? I don't know..

[Techydude]

Well the Count from Sesame Street would be proud

1 pint of blood, 2 pints, 3! MWHAHAHA 

[MaximilianKohler]

calcium in the blood of beef/cows/calves: http://www.jbc.org/content/67/1/257.full.pdf + http://www.convertunits.com/molarmass/Calcium = 40mg to 120mg of calcium per liter of blood right?