Warfarin, an anticoagulant medication used to prevent dangerous blood clots, is commonly prescribed to people who have heart conditions, such as an irregular heartbeat or who have suffered a heart attack. No specific diet is required for people taking warfarin, also known under the brand name Coumadin, and most foods remain safe to eat whenever you wish. However, because vitamin K can make the drug less effective you should consider a few dietary adjustments.
Vitamin K and Warfarin
Without vitamin K, your blood will not clot. Its effect on blood clotting is what makes it interfere with the effectiveness of warfarin and other anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications. The average daily allowance for vitamin K is 120 mcg for men and 90 mcg for women. While including vitamin K in your diet should not drastically affect the medication's effectiveness, large intakes may cause problems.
Proteins
None of the major sources of protein in the human diet contain vitamin K, so all are safe to eat if you take warfarin. You can safely eat all kinds of meat, poultry and seafood, as long as you have no health conditions that would preclude them. Other common sources of protein, such as eggs, nuts, beans and dairy products, also are safe to eat when taking the blood thinner.
Grain
Similar to proteins, grain products and major sources of carbohydrates can be eaten as you desire while you are taking warfarin. Rice, pasta and bread all pose no risks if eaten even in large quantities while you take warfarin. You can also safely eat processed foods containing grains, such as cereal, crackers, cookies and other baked goods. Keep in mind, though, that these processed foods often contain high quantities of fat and calories, so your doctor may have asked you to limit your intake for other health reasons.
Fruits and Vegetables
While you can still eat most fruits and vegetables while taking warfarin, you'll have to limit a few. Green, leafy vegetables including spinach, kale and collard and mustard greens, serve as the best dietary source of vitamin K. While eating them in small quantities can benefit your health because they promote heart health, too much of these vitamin K-rich foods could prevent you from reaping all the benefits from the warfarin, MayoClinic.com advises. Other foods with high amounts of vitamin K include broccoli, escarole, brussels sprouts, most types of lettuce and cauliflower. No fruits contain high amounts of vitamin K, so you can still eat these as you desire.
Cooking Oils
While taking warfarin, you can still safely use various cooking oils, but you should be a little more choosy when it comes to picking them. Heart-healthy olive oil poses no risks, but vegetables oils, such as canola oil and soybean oil, contain large quantities of vitamin K and you should replace them with different products, MedlinePlus advises.
Beverages
You won't have to alter what you drink too much when you take warfarin because most beverages will not interfere with the medication. Water, soda, caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea, and most fruit juices all are safe to drink. You should, however, stop drinking alcohol and cranberry juice, because both can intensify the effects of the medicine, which increases your risk for bleeding problems, MayoClinic.com reports.
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