Diet and Nutrition

Vitamin K

10/23/2009

Question:

my doctor wants me to be on a low viatim diet can you help me with a list of either foods containing high or low vitiam k.. thjhank you

Answer:

Thanks for your question. It sounds as if you may be on a medication (blood thinner) which reacts with vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that aids in clotting your blood, and therefore interacts with the medication's effectiveness.

Vitamin K is found in green leafy vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, mustard, dandelion & collard greens, broccoli, asparagus, endive, spinach, kale, cabbage, black eye peas, and organ meats (such as liver and kidney).

While you do not need to completely avoid green leafy vegetables, it is best to keep your intake consistent. For example, you should avoid eating a very large plate of greens, then not having ANY for the rest of the week. This will affect your blood clotting times.

Foods that are not high in vitamin K include iceberg lettuce, peppers, lima beans, fresh or canned fruit, carrots, corn, green beans, and mixed vegetables. This is not a complete list, but will give you an idea of foods that are safe to eat at any time.

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Response by:

Lisa Cicciarello Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
Adjunct Faculty
College of Nursing
University of Cincinnati