Foods With Vitamin K That Clog Blood
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is found in food and can be made by the gut by bacteria that are beneficial to our health. However, it is an essential vitamin, meaning that the body cannot make it in sufficient quantities to sustain life. A key function of vitamin K is the maintenance of normal blood concentrations of blood-clotting factors.
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Vitamin K Rich Foods
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified seven foods that exceed more than 200 percent of the daily value (DV) for vitamin K. Each food is represented as one-half cup servings, with the exception of parsley which is one-quarter cup. They are as follows: kale, fresh, boiled, 660 percent; spinach, fresh, boiled, 560 percent; turnip greens, frozen, boiled, 530 percent; collards, fresh, boiled, 520 percent; Swiss chard, fresh, boiled, 360 percent; parsley, raw, 300 percent; and mustard greens, fresh, boiled, 260 percent.
Vitamin K Moderate Foods
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The NIH has identified seven foods that are moderate in their DV of vitamin K. Each food is represented in one cup servings, with the exception of broccoli which is one-half cup. They are as follows: Brussel sprouts, frozen, boiled, 190 percent; spinach, raw, 180 percent; turnip greens, raw, chopped, 170 percent; green leaf lettuce, shredded, 125 percent; broccoli, raw, chopped, 110 percent; endive lettuce, raw, 70 percent; and romaine lettuce, raw, 70 percent. Individuals should note that raw spinach and turnip greens contains less available Vitamin K than their cooked counterparts.
Drug Nutrient Interactions
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Individuals who take anticoagulants such as Warfarin or antibiotic medications must be aware of the potential for drug nutrient interactions. A drug nutrient interaction occurs when the availability of a nutrient is changed by a medication or when an adverse reaction occurs by the intake of nutrients.
Anticoagulants
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The National Institutes of Health recommends that individuals who are on warfarin, also known as Coumadin, limit their consumption of vitamin K rich foods which exceed 200 percent of the DV to one serving per day, and those foods defined as moderate in vitamin K to three servings per day. Warfarin is an anticoagulant used to thin blood or prevent its likelihood of clotting. Vitamin K works in opposition, increasing the production of blood clotting factors.
Antibiotics
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Antibiotics, or medications that destroy gastrointestinal bacteria, negatively impact the production of vitamin K. In this instance, individuals should consume foods with a moderate to high DV of vitamin K to counteract the lack of production from healthy bacteria in the gut. An individual who is on warfarin and prescribed an antibiotic is encouraged to consult his physician on how to adjust his vitamin K or warfarin dose.
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