Foods Low in Vitamin K for a Warfarin (Coumadin) Diet

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BSc (Hons) MSc DipION
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Dr. Thomas Kutner
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed.
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Foods Low in Vitamin K for a Warfarin (Coumadin) Diet

If you are taking an anticoagulant or a blood thinner, like Warfarin (Coumadin), then it is important to keep your PT/INR (Prothrombin Time and International Normalized Ratio) levels stable. PT/INR measures factors for blood coagulation.

The amount of vitamin K you can eat while taking warfarin depends on your dose. Studies suggest that effects on coagulation only occur after eating 150mcg (micrograms) of vitamin K. (1) What is important is that your intake of vitamin K stays consistent. (1,2) Having a cheat day where you eat a large amount of vitamin K, like a spinach salad, could be harmful.

High amounts of vitamin K are mainly found in green vegetables like kale, spinach, cucumbers, and cabbage.

This is a guide to which foods you can eat and in what amounts. The exact amounts will depend on your dosage of Warfarin. Listed below are foods very high in vitamin K (240mcg+ per serving), and high in vitamin K (60mcg+ per serving).

The current daily value (DV) for Vitamin K is 120 micrograms (mcg). (3) It is displayed in this article to help you compare levels of vitamin K in foods. Depending on your doctor and situation 120mcg for men and 90mcg for women may be a generally accepted target for Vitamin K while one Warfarin.

Foods low in vitamin K are also presented by food group with sample serving sizes and amounts of vitamin K. For more ideas, use the nutrient ranking tool to sort by food group and serving size.

General guidelines when taking Warfarin (Coumadin)

  • A low INR means you have an increased risk of clotting
  • A high INR means you have an increased risk of bleeding
  • Warfarin increases INR, Vitamin K decreases it
  • Most doctors aim to keep INR around 2-3, but it can go up to 2.5-3.5 for people with heart valve issues or other extreme cases (4)
  • When a doctor prescribes Warfarin, they are trying to balance it with how much vitamin K you eat (2)
  • Regularly check your PT/INR levels
  • Take Warfarin as directed by your care provider
  • Keep your intake of vitamin K consistent from day to day
  • Eliminate alcohol if you can, or limit yourself to no more than 3 drinks a day (5)
  • Take no more than 800IU of vitamin E supplements
  • Avoid cranberries and cranberry juice as they can raise INR and risk of bleeding (6)
  • Limit or avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice
  • Avoid drinking green tea as it antagonizes Warfarin and lowers INR (7)
  • Work with your doctor when taking CoQ10 as it can hamper the effectiveness of Warfarin (8)
  • Avoid Tobacco (9)
  • Many natural herbs, roots, berries, and supplements affect PT/INR levels, so it is best to avoid them unless your doctor advises otherwise. The following supplements definitely affect PT/INR levels: (9)
    • Arnica
    • Bilberry
    • Butcher's Broom
    • Cat's Claw
    • Chamomile Tea
    • Chitosan
    • Dong Quai
    • Feverfew
    • Forskolin
    • Garlic
    • Ginger
    • Gingko
    • Goji Berries
    • Horse Chestnut
    • Insositol Hexaphosphate
    • Licorice
    • Melilot (Sweet Clover)
    • Pau D'arco
    • Red Clover
    • St. John's Wort
    • Sweet Woodruff
    • Turmeric
    • Willow Bark
    • Wheat Grass
    • Wolfberry

List of Common Foods with more than 240mcg (200% DV) of Vitamin K

FoodServingVitamin K
1 Parsley (Fresh / Raw)per cup chopped820% DV
(984mcg)
2 Cooked Spinachper cup740% DV
(888mcg)
3 Cooked Mustard Greensper cup691% DV
(830mcg)
4 Cooked Collardsper cup644% DV
(773mcg)
5 Cooked Beet Greensper cup581% DV
(697mcg)
6 Cooked Dandelion Greensper cup482% DV
(579mcg)
7 Cooked Swiss Chardper cup477% DV
(573mcg)
8 Cooked Turnip Greensper cup441% DV
(529mcg)
9 Garden Cress (Fresh / Raw)per cup chopped226% DV
(271mcg)

List of Common Foods with more than 60mcg (50% DV) of Vitamin K

FoodServingVitamin K
1 Cooked Broccoliper cup chopped183% DV
(220mcg)
2 Cooked Brussels Sproutsper cup182% DV
(219mcg)
3 Cooked Cabbageper cup136% DV
(163mcg)
4 Raw Spinachper cup121% DV
(145mcg)
5 Raw Radicchioper cup shredded85% DV
(102mcg)
6 Cooked Asparagusper cup cooked76% DV
(91mcg)
7 Cooked Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan)per cup62% DV
(75mcg)
8 Kiwifruitper cup sliced60% DV
(73mcg)
9 Cooked Soybean Sproutsper cup55% DV
(66mcg)
10 Kimchiper cup55% DV
(65mcg)
11 Cooked Okraper cup sliced53% DV
(64mcg)
12 Raw Kaleper cup chopped52% DV
(62mcg)
13 Cooked Green Beansper cup50% DV
(60mcg)

Foods Low in Vitamin K to eat on a Warfarin (Coumadin) Diet

Vegetables Low in Vitamin K

FoodServingVitamin K
1 Cooked Snow Peasper cup33% DV
(40mcg)
2 Arugulaper cup18% DV
(22mcg)
3 Cooked Carrotsper cup sliced18% DV
(21mcg)
4 Raw Celeryper stalk16% DV
(19mcg)
5 Cooked Green Bell Peppersper cup11% DV
(13mcg)
6 Cilantroper 1/4 cup10% DV
(12mcg)
7 Raw Alfalfa Sproutsper cup8% DV
(10mcg)
8 Cooked Zucchiniper cup sliced6% DV
(8mcg)
9 Raw Red Bell Peppersper cup chopped6% DV
(7mcg)
10 Cooked Tomatoesper cup6% DV
(7mcg)
11 Cooked Bitter Melonper cup5% DV
(6mcg)
12 Baked Potatoesper medium potato4% DV
(5mcg)
13 Baked Sweet Potatoesper cup4% DV
(5mcg)
14 Cooked Eggplantper cup cubed2% DV
(3mcg)
15 Cooked Pumpkinper cup mashed2% DV
(2mcg)
16 Winter Squashper cup cubed1% DV
(1mcg)
17 Sweet Cornper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
18 Cooked Beetsper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
19 Raw Turnipsper cup cubed0% DV
(0mcg)
20 Mushroomsper cup pieces0% DV
(0mcg)

Fruits Low in Vitamin K

FoodServingVitamin K
1 Grapesper cup11% DV
(13mcg)
2 Plumsper cup9% DV
(11mcg)
3 Pearsper cup sliced5% DV
(6mcg)
4 Asian Pearsper fruit5% DV
(5mcg)
5 Apricotsper cup halves4% DV
(5mcg)
6 Cantaloupeper cup pieces4% DV
(4mcg)
7 Fuyu Persimmonsper fruit4% DV
(4mcg)
8 Guavasper cup pieces4% DV
(4mcg)
9 Peachesper cup sliced3% DV
(4mcg)
10 Papayaper cup pieces3% DV
(4mcg)
11 Strawberriesper cup sliced3% DV
(4mcg)
12 Cherriesper cup pitted3% DV
(3mcg)
13 Nectarinesper cup sliced3% DV
(3mcg)
14 Figsper large fig3% DV
(3mcg)
15 Applesper cup quartered2% DV
(3mcg)
16 Pineappleper cup pieces1% DV
(1mcg)
17 Litchisper cup1% DV
(1mcg)
18 Bananasper cup sliced1% DV
(1mcg)
19 Datesper 3 dates0% DV
(1mcg)
20 Watermelonper cup pieces0% DV
(0mcg)

Grains (Starches) Low in Vitamin K

FoodServingVitamin K
1 Buckwheat (Groats)per cup3% DV
(3mcg)
2 Whole Wheat Breadper 1oz slice2% DV
(2mcg)
3 Cooked Pearled Barleyper cup1% DV
(1mcg)
4 Bulgurper cup1% DV
(1mcg)
5 Wild Riceper cup1% DV
(1mcg)
6 Oatmealper cup1% DV
(1mcg)
7 Whole Wheat Pastaper cup1% DV
(1mcg)
8 Milletper cup0% DV
(1mcg)
9 Brown Riceper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
10 Couscousper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
11 White Breadper 1oz slice0% DV
(0mcg)
17 Pastaper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
18 Quinoaper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
19 White Riceper cup0% DV
(0mcg)
20 Yellow Cornmeal (Grits)per cup0% DV
(0mcg)

Other Food Groups Low in Vitamin K

All meats and fish are low in vitamin K with the exception of some canned fish packed in oil, and abalone.

All dairy and egg products are low in Vitamin K.

Except for fava beans, black-eyed peas, soybeans, natto, some soy products, and green beans, all beans and legumes are low in vitamin K.

If you are into juicing, here are some low vitamin K juice recipes.

Warnings

  • Avoid making any big changes to your diet. If you try any new food, try it in small quantities and monitor your PT/INR
  • Even though a food is low in vitamin K it does not mean that it will not interact with Warfarin (Coumadin). This article is intended as a general guide for foods low in vitamin K and is for information purposes only. As stated above, try new foods with caution and consult health care providers or literature before trying new foods.
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About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. Couris R, Tataronis G, McCloskey W, Oertel L, Dallal G, Dwyer J, Blumberg JB. Interaction Between Dietary Vitamin K Intake and Anticoagulation by Vitamin K Antagonists: Is It Really True?: A Systematic Review Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2006 Mar;76(2):65-74. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831.76.2.65. 16941417
  2. Olsson SB, Halperin JL. Dietary implications for patients receiving long-term oral anticoagulation therapy for treatment and prevention of thromboembolic disease Semin Vasc Med. 2005 Aug;5(3):285-92. doi: 10.1055/s-2005-916168. 16123916
  3. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  4. Agarwal S, Bennett D, Smith DJ. Consensus guidelines for warfarin therapy. Recommendations from the Australasian Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2010;10(1):37-48. doi: 10.2165/11318870-000000000-00000. 20104933
  5. Parrish RH, Pazdur DE, O'donnell PJ. Enhanced antithrombotic effect of warfarin associated with low-dose alcohol consumption Pharmacotherapy. 2006 Nov;26(11):1650-3. doi: 10.1592/phco.26.11.1650. 17064211
  6. Paeng CH, Sprague M, Jackevicius CA. Warfarin-cranberry juice interaction resulting in profound hypoprothrombinemia and bleeding Clin Ther. 2007 Aug;29(8):1730-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2007.08.018. 17919554
  7. Hidalgo K, Lyles A, Dean SR. Probable antagonism of warfarin by green tea Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Jan;45(1):e3. doi: 10.1345/aph.1P491. Epub 2010 Dec 28. 21189363
  8. Goll J. [Interaction between warfarin and coenzyme Q10] Ugeskr Laeger. 1998 Aug 17;160(34):4916. 9741268
  9. Asher GN, Corbett AH, Hawke RL. Warfarin and food, herbal or dietary supplement interactions: A systematic review Am Fam Physician. 2017 Jul 15;96(2):101-107. 28762712
  10. ODS Fact Sheet on Coumadin (Legacy file hosted on MyFoodData.com)
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