blueberry juice and INR

[witzkeyman]

I see a lot of blueberry types of juices out in the supermarkets today. I know raw blueberries have a dramatic effect on INR, but what about blueberries in a juice form?
I'm assuming because it's juice, and there isn't a skin for the blueberry it may be okay. just wanted confirmation. I want to start slowly with POM Juice with blueberry and move over to 100% blueberry juice. am I correct about the skin part? I'm assuming this because split peas have a low vitamin K because there isn't a skin.

 

[Ross]

As with anything else that affects INR, check your INR around 4 days after starting the new food to see if it's really doing any harm and adjust your dose accordingly. I really don't think juice is going to make a difference, but I've never sat down and tested it out.

 

[Karlynn]

I love blueberries and buy them often. I don't eat them daily, but every few weeks I buy a big tub at Sam's Club and have them as snacks and put them on my cereal. I've never noticed a change in my INR due to my irregular consumption of the lovely little blue things.

Juice is much more concentrated. If it's the skin on the berry that is the offending part for warfarin, it's contents will will be in the juice - as blueberries are not skinned before they are juiced.

If you're concerned and plan on incorporating regular blueberry juice products in your diet - then do as Ross says and just test.

Health-wise - you are much better off just eating the actual fruit rather than it's juice - for any fruit.

 

[lance]

strawberries blueberries and cherries

strawberries blueberries and cherries

Each year I freeze enough berries to last until the next harvest and have a serving every morning for breakfast on a three-day rotation.

When those delicious wild blueberries appear on the market the first basket diasppears rapidly. I've never noticed an INR change either.

 

[Bina]

I think it's like anything else.......if you binge, then you may see a change.
If it's incorporated into your daily eating, like Lance, then it all balances out.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Don't binge on anything. Even binging on water could have a negative effect on your INR! Eat what you want, when you want and test regularly. If you add something to your diet in large quantities, test more often. As Bina said, the real fruit is better than juice. Juices are extremely high in sugar content, which can cause weight gain, which can affect your INR. They also don't have the benefit of roughage that the real fruit has. I NEVER worry about Vitamin K content anymore, although I did in the beginning. I just eat what I want and make sure I test.

 

[donnag131]

Just curious where you got your info on blueberries causing a dramatic effect on INR. I eat 1/2 cup of either fresh or frozen blueberries on top of my yogurt every morning. According to the USDA nutrient data lab, which is the site where I get all my Vit. k info, 1/2 cup of raw blueberries has only 14 mcg. of vit. k in it. Compare that to spinach (which I also eat daily, really! I love it). Cooked spinach has 444 mcg. vit. k in 1/2 cup!

Don't fret about what you eat or drink. As long as you don't binge you will be fine. If you are really concerned about a new food causing a drastic INR change, add it to your diet gradually and adjust your coumadin dosage accordingly.

 

[Bina]

Like Karlynn said, the juice is very concentrated.....
A single serving is NOT a 10 ounce glass, it's more like a 6 ounce glass.
Some people chug down juice like it's water.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1851/2

According to the above website, a cup of blueberries has 28 mcg, so you are right that a half cup would have 14 mcg. A cup has 36% of the recommended daily amount. According to the same website, a cup of raw spinach has 145 mcg, which is 181% of the recommended daily value. However, as long as you don't binge, and you adjust your Warfarin to fit your diet, neither of these things should be a problem.

Actually, Vitamin K is a very important part of any diet. Not only does it assist the natural clotting of your blood, which is necessary even for us, it helps prevent osteoporosis.

 

[lance]

Were I so perfect

Were I so perfect

I think it's like anything else.......if you binge, then you may see a change.
If it's incorporated into your daily eating, like Lance, then it all balances out.

Bina,
Don't delude yourself. I binge on each and every berry coming on the market. The leftovers make it to the freezer.

Seriously though I wouldn't concern myself over juice.

 

[Bina]

Good thing I am a cake freak.....no vitamin K.....LOL

 

[Cooker]

Bina,
Don't delude yourself. I binge on each and every berry coming on the market. The leftovers make it to the freezer.

Seriously though I wouldn't concern myself over juice.

Too late

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Good thing I am a cake freak.....no vitamin K.....LOL

I found the following information that shows amounts of mcg of Vitamin K in some cakes. Isn't it interesting that the have 2 pieces of chocolate cake, but only 1 piece of yellow cake. Guess they know us chocoholics can't stop at just 1!

Cake doughnuts with icing, any flavor 3 doughnuts 9.8
Cake, chocolate, with chocolate icing, commercial 2 pieces 13
Cake, snack, chocolate, with chocolate icing 3.5 oz 5.7
Cake, yellow with white icing 1 piece 8.5

 

[witzkeyman]

thanks for the info Lisa. wow! blueberries are very high in Vitamin K.
I'm going to start drinking a bottle of Pom with blueberries daily for now. I'll test in 4 days and see what happens.