Beetroot, vitamin K, and blood thinners

La beetroot is a vegetable very rich in fiber and vitamin K, anticoagulant vitamin and therefore its consumption in large quantities can be dangerous for people who are under anticoagulant treatment.

The beet is made up of two edible parts, the root which is a red, white or yellow bulb and its leaves which are consumed as a vegetable, being very rich in football. The root and its leaves have a different nutritional composition, half a cup of cooked beet contains 1,7 grams of fiber, while a serving of cooked beet leaves provides about 4,2 g of fiber, for example.

Like other green leafy vegetables, such as turnip greens, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts, beet greens are considered a food very high in fiber, a very important content for proper digestive function and cholesterol control.

According to the database of USDAA single cup of cooked beet greens contains about 700 micrograms of vitamin K, a high rank among foods, along with kale, spinach, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens and asparagus. In contrast, the cooked root contains only 0,170 micrograms of Vitamin K per serving and is not considered a significant source of vitamin K.

Anticoagulant medications are responsible for preventing the formation of blood clots, inhibiting the liver's ability to use vitamin K in the synthesis of proteins of blood clotting.

The vitamin K content in foods such as beet greens can affect the action of medications, therefore, it must be found in the diet, which must be professionally controlled.

Source: Magazine, Nutrition and health

Image: Flickr