Blood flow is slowest in the capillaries, which allows time for exchange of gases and nutrients. As vessel diameter decreases, the resistance increases and blood flow decreases. Very little pressure remains by the time blood leaves the capillaries and enters the venules.

Why does blood move slower in the capillaries compared to the arterioles? Capillaries are much wider than arterioles. Blood pressure is much higher in capillaries than in arterioles. *There are many more capillaries than arterioles and the increase in cross-sectional area causes a decrease in blood flow.

Why is the velocity of blood lowest in the capillaries as compared to all other types of vessels? The capillaries have the lowest blood volume. The capillaries have a relatively large amount of smooth muscle for their diameter. The capillaries have the largest cross-sectional area.

As blood travels through the blood vessel, it exerts a force on the walls of the vessel. This slows down the velocity of the blood within arterioles and thus drops the pressure. This happens because arterioles connect directly to capillaries, which are very thin blood vessels that cannot withstand a high pressure.

Fruits: Raisins, prunes, dried figs, apricots, apples, grapes and watermelons not only get the red blood cells flowing but also improve the blood count. Citrus fruits like oranges, amla or Indian gooseberry, lime and grapefruit help to attract iron. They play a very important role in increasing blood count.

Anemia – If you’re iron deficient and supplementing with iron tablets, you can boost the amount of iron your body takes up with vitamin C containing fruits such as kiwi or orange juice.