Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in the blood-clotting process. Vitamin K deficiency is rare because vitamin K is stored in fat and also produced by the digestive tract. However, if you are taking the blood-thinning medication warfarin, or other medications that Vitamin K affects, you should avoid foods that contain vitamin K, which can lower the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications and increase your risk for developing blood clots. Consult your doctor before adjusting your vitamin K intake.
Step 1
Avoid eating green leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach, kale, lettuce, parsley, Brussels sprouts among others. Green leafy vegetables contain high levels of vitamin K and should be avoided when possible. Although cauliflower is not green, it should also be avoided. Choose other vegetables, such as squash, onions, cucumber and carrots.
Step 2
Check the nutrition labels on cereals before you buy them to determine how much vitamin K is in the cereal. Do not purchase foods that contain high levels of vitamin K. Instead, choose alternatives, such as Special K, which does not contain any Vitamin K.
Step 3
Avoid drinking green tea, which contains vitamin K. Similar to cereals you purchase, you must look on the box of tea to make sure the tea you are choosing is void of vitamin K.
Step 4
Check the nutrition labels on all of the foods you purchase. If a particular food does not have a nutrition label, try an Internet search to find vitamin K content.
Tips and Warnings
- Have your warfarin levels checked regularly to make sure your diet is not affecting the levels of warfarin in your bloodstream.
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