Q: I understand that someone taking Coumadin is told to restrict
or eliminate leafy green vegetables because of the vitamin K
content. Are there tables that tell what quantity of foods make
up the recommended limited quantity of vitamin K? More
importantly, what can one eat that will still supply all the
vitamins and minerals that these vegetables also include, e.g.
to protect vision, bones, heart. Thank you. — B.H. Grand Rapids
A: For people taking blood thinners, sometimes the quick advice
given is to avoid all green foods, but that is not the whole
story. It is a good idea to learn which foods are high in
vitamin K. You will not need to totally avoid them, but need to
try to be consistent in your intake of them from week to week.
For instance, if you dearly love broccoli (high in vitamin K),
it is OK to have a cup of it every week, and be consistent about
it. You would not do well with your blood counts if you had 2
cups of broccoli one week, none the next. There are plenty of
healthy vegetables that are l