Warfarin, A-Fib and Vitamin K

I seem to always be writing things you can’t do if you have A-Fib and you’re on Warfarin, but today, I’m going to give some great and tasty recipes for smoothies that are low in vitamin k. There are so many foods you have to be careful of when you take warfarin and it makes it really hard to know which ones are safe. So, I’m going to take some of the guess work out of it for you. Let me explain what warfarin’s purpose is first.

Warfarin is an anticoagulant that’s used to prevent blood from clotting in the blood vessels. Our body’s naturally produce small amounts of vitamin k. When you have A-Fib, your doctor puts you on a blood thinner to reduce your risk of stroke, so the vitamin k and blood thinner will work against each other. This brings us to me, finding the best nutritional smoothie recipes low in vitamin k for you to enjoy and there’s no guess work.

Fruits that have Little or no vitamin k

Oranges and orange juice (keep to a minimum), starfruit, apple juice and lemons have no vitamin k. Grapefruit doesn’t have any vitamin k but it can interfere with certain medications and shouldn’t be taken if you’re on warfarin. Citrus fruits can interfere with how your body metabolizes medications.

What juices are good with warfarin?

Peaches, strawberries, watermelon, pineapple, nectarines. Honeydew, apricots, fruit cocktail are low in vitamin k and make awesome smoothies. These are safe to have, in moderation as these fruits have low levels of vitamin k.

Leave sugary smoothies out of the equation as a daily sugary smoothie can lead to elevated blood sugar levels that exceed healthy limits and can cause diabetes.

If you’re into Green smoothies they are rich with chlorophyll which some natural health experts say enhances the immune system, purifies the blood and rejuvenates your body. It is one of the many reasons why these delicious drinks are touted by experts as being an excellent source of energy for the human body.

Warfarin, A-Fib and Vitamin K

Dark leafy greens can be eaten if you follow the servings per day, 1/2 cup boiled kale, spinach etc…and 1 cup serving of raw spinach, raw broccoli, raw romaine lettuce 3 times a day.

One last warning and statement

Even though a food is low in vitamin k doesn’t mean it will not interact with warfarin. This article is intended as a guide for foods low in vitamin k and is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before trying new foods when you’re on warfarin. That said, let’s go get some recipes.

The Best Nutritional Smoothie Recipes Low in Vitamin K

Delicious Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup Almond milk unsweetened

1 cup Greek yoghurt full fat

1 Banana

1 Green apple chopped

1 Kiwi Peeled

1 Green pear chopped

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup Kale chopped

1 inch fresh Ginger peeled

Juice of half a lemon

pinch of salt

1 cup ice

Place ingredients in order in Vitamix or other high powered blender. If using a Vitamix, choose Frozen deserts setting. Once the blender stops, add more water or juice for a thinner smoothie and more ice if you like it frothier.

You can also use frozen fruit, I always have frozen bananas, water melon and berries in the freezer, it’s easy and when it’s out of season just go to the fridge. You don’t need to add ice if it’s frozen.

The best is what you have left over, put them in ice cube trays and freeze them for next time, ready made!