Vitamin K and Blood Thinning
Blood thinning drugs are used to prevent blood clots, which can move through the circulatory system and lodge in the heart or lungs. The medication is prescribed after open heart surgery and to treat certain heart conditions that may result in clots and diseases such as deep vein thrombosis. Patients taking the medication need to be mindful of foods high in vitamin K, which contributes to blood clotting.
Vitamin K and Blood Thinning
Because vitamin K counteracts blood thinning drugs, doctors used to advise patients to avoid foods high in the vitamin. Today doctors feel that vitamin K is too important to the diet to be eliminated and stress instead that it be consumed at a consistent level, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Foods High in Vitamin K
Limit yourself to one serving a day of vegetables that are high in vitamin K. A boiled half cup of each of the following constitutes a single serving: spinach, kale, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard and mustard greens. A quarter cup of fresh parsley is considered a serving.
Foods Moderately High in Vitamin K
Limit yourself to no more than three servings a day of vegetables that are moderately high in vitamin K. One cup of each of the following constitutes a single serving: raw spinach; raw chopped broccoli or turnip greens; and shredded endive, romaine or green leaf lettuce. A half cup of boiled Brussels sprouts is considered a single serving.
Foods Lower in Vitamin K
Foods that contain smaller amounts of Vitamin K can be consumed more freely. They include iceberg lettuce, asparagus, red cabbage and soybean oil. As stated before, consistency is the key to maintaining therapeutic levels of blood thinning drugs.
Tags: high vitamin, single serving, thinning drugs, Vitamin Blood, Vitamin Blood Thinning, Blood Thinning, blood thinning