Q: Why should people on Coumadin avoid your Eggs Benedict recipe?

My husband is on Coumadin and I was looking for some recipes that I could prepare for him. I noticed that you said he should avoid Eggs Benedict (whites cooked but the yolk still runny, right?). I was just wondering why he should avoid this specific recipe (is it the raw yolk, the egg white?) and is it just this recipe he should avoid or all egg recipes?

Q: Dr. Gourmet Says...

The Eggs Benedict recipe is an issue for people who use Coumadin® (warfarin) because it contains asparagus which is high in Vitamin K. The rest of the recipe including the English muffin, eggs and Hollandaise Sauce are not a problem for your husband's diet. You could consider a number of substitutions for the asparagus.

Try using diced zucchini that has been lightly steamed. Using a thin slice of tomato is also a good choice. Another tasty alternative would be to cook thinly sliced onions or shallots in a separate pan until they are well browned and layer them between the muffin and egg.

Dr. Gourmet
Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!