About Coumadin® (warfarin)
The main dietary concern of taking warfarin (common brand name: Coumadin) has to do with the amount of vitamin K in your diet. Vitamin K changes the way warfarin affects the blood. When you eat foods that are high in vitamin K, you can decrease the effect of warfarin. Likewise, eating less vitamin K can increase the effect of the medication.
The key is to try to eat a similar amount of foods that contain vitamin
K each day. Don’t make any major changes to your diet without speaking
with your doctor. If you want to lose weight, eat a lower fat diet or
become a vegetarian, your doctor would want to know about these changes
to help manage your warfarin.
Leafy green vegetables tend to contain higher amounts of vitamin K and one rule of thumb is to suspect that green veggies, cabbages and lettuces are high in Vitamin K. Also certain legumes like peanuts and peas might cause problems. Certain vegetable oils have high amounts of vitamin K.
Foods that are low in vitamin K include roots, bulbs, tubers, some fruits and fruit juices. Cereals, grains and other milled products are also low in vitamin K.
Keep
in mind that the amount of foods you eat with vitamin K add up. So if you
eat more foods that contain medium amounts of vitamin K in a particular
day, your vitamin K intake will be high for that day.
What about alcohol?
You should avoid drinking alcohol while taking warfarin because alcohol can change the way your body responds to the medicine. Talk with your doctor about this. He or she may tell you that it’s fine to drink alcohol but may want you to have a similar amount of alcohol each day so that your blood levels of warfarin remain stable.
If
you want to manage your Vitamin K intake, lose weight, lower your cholesterol
or just learn how to eat healthy, you've found the right place. My free,
interactive diet planner, The Quality Calorie Diet, will help you
create weekly meal plans - complete with recipes and shopping lists -
to make eating better easy for you and your entire family.
The Quality Calorie Diet is perfect for those with food allergies or health issues like GERD / acid reflux, lactose intolerance, and gluten sensitivity.
Those who are on Coumadin (warfarin) will find that keeping your Vitamin K levels stable - and therefore your INR levels stable - will be easier than ever. The Quality Calorie Diet is designed to supply you with the recommended daily amount of Vitamin K each and every day.
Get started now with your free Coumadin diet plan!
Ask Dr. Gourmet About Coumadin®
Should
you avoid cranberry
juice on Coumadin (warfarin)?
The good news is that we now have pretty good evidence that it's OK
to drink cranberry juice. The feeling has been that somehow
cranberry juice interacted with the cytochrome P450 system
of enzymes. These enzymes are critical to helping the body clear itself
of chemicals such as medications we take. More....
How many micrograms
of Vitamin K can I have in one day?
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin K is 85
micrograms (mcg) per day. Most physicians recommend trying to keep
levels no higher than this as a consequence of the effect that higher
doses can have on INR levels. More....
My husband has
diabetes and is on Coumadin (warfarin). How can I help him eat healthy?
The first step is for you and your husband to speak with
your physician about the number of calories he should be
eating each
day. Many physicians have a dietitian available to their
patients. Such referrals are especially helpful and if possible,
you
should go to the appointment with your husband. More....
Can I use these nutritional supplements while
on Coumadin?
You should absolutely avoid all supplements while taking
warfarin. There is very little solid research done on supplements
and you are putting yourself at very high risk by taking
them along with your Coumadin®. There is with the other medications
you are taking as well. More....
Read all Ask Dr. Gourmet
About Coumadin Questions
Coumadin-Safe Recipes
The recipes on the Dr. Gourmet website are individually labeled for their appropriateness for Coumadin (warfarin) users. These are some of the top-rated recipes that are safe for Coumadin users. View the Full List of Coumadin-Safe Recipes
Breakfast
Blueberry Muffins
Jean's French Toast
Scrambled Eggs
Zucchini Chevre
Frittata
More Breakfast Recipes
Soups and Salads
Butternut Squash Soup
Minestrone
Thai Cucumber Salad
Green Beans in Walnut
Vinaigrette
More Soups and Salads
Main Course
Beef Stroganoff
Chicken
Piccata
Chili
Rellenos
Salmon
with Red Thai Curry
More Main Course
Recipes
Extras and Side Dishes
Basil Pesto
French Fries
Herbed Zucchini
Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes
More Extras and Sides