Vitamin K Foods to Avoid

Too much vitamin K can be harmful for people with certain medical conditions, including those who take blood thinners to prevent clotting. In some people, an excess of vitamin K also can cause hormonal problems and jaundice. The Food and Drug Administration's recommended dietary allowance for vitamin K is 90 micrograms for women and 120 micrograms for men daily.
Significance
Vitamin K protects the heart by helping with blood clotting, and it builds strong bones. People taking blood thinners such as Coumadin should avoid high doses of vitamin K because it can counteract the medication's effects. Those with high blood pressure and heart conditions should consult with their doctor about how much vitamin K they can eat in their diet.

Dietary Considerations
A variety of fresh and prepared foods contain various levels of vitamin K, including pie crust, coleslaw, some fruit, candy, nuts and other products. If you need to watch your vitamin K intake, make a list of the foods that are rich in the nutrient. Even if you are on blood thinners, you still will want to eat some foods with vitamin K to stay within the FDA's recommended daily allowance.

Vegetables and Fruits

The foods with the highest vitamin K content are green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, spinach and turnip greens. Other foods high in vitamin K are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, parsley, asparagus, cabbage, okra, green beans, cucumbers and peas. Vegetables such as artichokes, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, potatoes and alfalfa sprouts contain moderate to low levels. Fruits with a lot of vitamin K are blueberries, kiwi, blackberries and certain varieties of grapes. Plums, raspberries, pears, mangoes, papayas and peaches fall into the moderate-to-low category.

Proteins

Chicken, turkey, lamb and beef have moderate to low levels of vitamin K. Mung beans and soy beans are high in vitamin K, whereas other types of beans fall in the moderate-to-low range.