The claim that wood fungus, red dates and ginger are great for blood circulation is the one this page used to make in its title. Here each of the three is put next to the published research. A PubMed search for wood ear fungus (Auricularia), ginger and jujube together returned no records when this page was checked in October 2026, so what follows are separate studies on each ingredient.
"Red dates" here means jujube, not palm dates
A 2020 review of jujube explains that the fruit of Ziziphus jujuba is commonly known as jujube, red date or Chinese date, and is eaten fresh or dried. The same review says that in China jujube is traditionally used for treating "blood deficiency". The beneficial effects its abstract describes were shown in cell and animal models.
The dates this site is named after grow on a different plant. The date palm is Phoenix dactylifera, as a systematic review of date fruits names it. Piarom is a date palm variety from Hormozgan in Iran: dark, semi-dry and thin-skinned. Jujube research therefore says nothing about Piarom or any other palm date.
Two jujube trials, two different blood pressure results
Two randomised trials of dried jujube in people reported blood pressure. In a 2025 randomised controlled trial, 48 people with type 2 diabetes and excess weight were split into a jujube group (24) and a control group (24). The jujube group received 30g of dried jujube fruit a day for three months. After adjusting for baseline values, their systolic pressure fell by up to 7 mmHg and diastolic by up to 5 mmHg compared with the control group.
A 2024 randomised controlled trial in people with metabolic syndrome gave 30 participants 30g of dried jujube powder a day and 30 a placebo, for eight weeks. Jujube "failed to decrease" blood pressure, fasting blood glucose or LDL cholesterol. Waist size, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol did improve, and the authors flag weaknesses in blinding and in testing the purity of the herb. Neither abstract reports a measurement of blood flow.
What wood fungus has been tested for
This page reads "wood fungus" as wood ear, the mushrooms of the genus Auricularia. A 2026 review describes them as among the most economically important edible and medicinal mushrooms worldwide, particularly in Asia. A 1982 study found that hot water extracts of Auricularia auricula, which it calls Mo-er, strongly inhibited ADP-induced aggregation of human and rat platelets. The extracts contained adenosine, but they still blocked aggregation after the adenosine was broken down, and the authors concluded that they contain at least one other agent that blocks platelet aggregation.
A 2019 in vitro screening of hot water extracts from eight edible mushrooms found the most promising antiplatelet effect in the Auricularia and Pleurotus eryngii extracts. None of the eight extracts changed the clotting measures it monitored: prothrombin time, prothrombin ratio and INR. The authors call for further experimental and clinical research. Both papers tested extracts, and neither abstract describes measuring circulation in people who ate the fungus.
Ginger: platelets and blood pressure
A 2015 systematic review looked at ten studies of ginger and platelet aggregation in adults: eight clinical trials and two observational studies. Four of the trials reported that ginger reduced platelet aggregation and four reported no effect, and the observational studies were mixed. The authors call the evidence "equivocal".
A 2026 meta-analysis of twelve randomised trials found that ginger supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure by 5.03 mmHg and diastolic by 2.03 mmHg. Effects were potentially greater at doses of 2000 mg a day or more. The authors rated the certainty of the evidence as low and say longer, high-quality trials are needed before definite dosing advice.
What the NHS says helps blood flow in the legs
For peripheral arterial disease, the NHS PAD page names exercising regularly and not smoking as the main lifestyle changes that can ease the symptoms of PAD. It also advises eating a healthy diet, losing weight if overweight and moderating alcohol. Its treatment page says evidence suggests regular exercise helps to reduce the severity and frequency of PAD symptoms. Neither page names a particular food.
A note for anyone on blood thinners
The 2015 ginger review opens by calling ginger's possible effect on platelet aggregation a widely cited concern, both in the published literature and to clinicians. The NHS warfarin page asks patients to tell their doctor about any other medicines, herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements they take, and says some food and drink can affect how warfarin works. Anyone on such medicine who wants to start a daily wood fungus, jujube or ginger drink should ask their doctor first.
Where palm dates come in
None of the research above is about palm dates, so it gives no reason to swap jujube for Piarom in a recipe or the other way round. For palm dates themselves, this site's About page explains who runs it, and questions or orders go through the contact page. Readers can also visit Kurma Bam Wholesale.
This page is general information, not medical advice.
References
- Chen J, Tsim KWK. A review of edible jujube, the Ziziphus jujuba fruit: a heath food supplement for anemia prevalence. Front Pharmacol. 2020;11:593655. PubMed 33324222
- Farhadnejad H, et al. Effect of dried Ziziphus jujube consumption on plasma insulin, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and advanced glycation end products in diabetic patients with excess weight: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Prev Med. 2025;16:49. PubMed 40964206
- Parastouei K, et al. The effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujube) on metabolic and mental health outcomes in patients with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 2024;82:103041. PubMed 38648942
- Jatuwong K, et al. Wood ear mushrooms (Auricularia spp.): from biology and cultivation to nutritional value and future opportunities. Life (Basel). 2026;16(10):1730. PubMed 42942316
- Agarwal KC, Russo FX, Parks RE Jr. Inhibition of human and rat platelet aggregation by extracts of Mo-er (Auricularia auricula). Thromb Haemost. 1982;48(2):162-5. PubMed 6983740
- Poniedziałek B, et al. The effect of mushroom extracts on human platelet and blood coagulation: in vitro screening of eight edible species. Nutrients. 2019;11(12):3040. PubMed 31842490
- Marx W, et al. The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on platelet aggregation: a systematic literature review. PLoS One. 2015;10(10):e0141119. PubMed 26488162 (correction: PubMed 26599766)
- Karimi M, et al. Ginger supplementation and blood pressure in adults: a GRADE-based systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2026;39(4):e70329. PubMed 42566667
- Pesticide residues in date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.): a systematic review. PubMed 42865094
- NHS. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and PAD treatment.
- NHS. Warfarin.