Based on WHO | Is it safe to eat avocados while taking warfarin, or can they interfere with my INR?

Eating avocados while taking warfarin can be okay in small, consistent amounts, but large or sudden increases in avocado intake may lower your INR by reducing warfarin’s effect. ^[1] Avocado contains vitamin K and has been reported (in older clinical evidence and case reports) to blunt warfarin’s anticoagulant action, so the key is consistency and avoiding big dietary swings. ^[1]

Why avocados can affect INR

• Warfarin works by blocking vitamin K, which your body uses to make clotting factors; when you eat more vitamin K, warfarin can become less effective and your INR may drop. ^{[2] [3]}
• Authoritative guidance for people on warfarin emphasizes maintaining a steady intake of vitamin K from week to week, because sudden changes in vitamin K consumption can change the effect of warfarin and your INR. ^{[2] [3]}
• Avocado is listed among vitamin K–rich foods in some medical guidance, where large amounts are advised against for those on warfarin because they may lessen its effect. ^{[4] [5]}
• A systematic appraisal of food–warfarin interactions identified “large amounts of avocado” as associated with reduced anticoagulant effect (lower INR), consistent with vitamin K impact. ^[1]

How much is “safe”?

• There is no single “forbidden” food on warfarin; rather, the goal is a consistent pattern so your warfarin dose can be matched to your usual diet. ^[2]
• Small, regular portions of avocado (for example, a few slices) are generally reasonable if you keep the amount similar day to day and week to week. ^[2]
• What tends to cause problems is suddenly eating a lot more avocado than usual (for example, frequent large servings or adding guacamole in big amounts after rarely eating avocado), which can lower INR and raise clot risk. ^{[3] [2]}

Practical tips

• Keep your avocado intake steady: if you typically eat half an avocado 2–3 times per week, try to maintain that pattern rather than cycling between none and large amounts. ^{[2] [3]}
• If you plan to increase or decrease avocado or other vitamin K–rich foods (leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, certain oils), let your care team know so INR testing and your warfarin dose can be adjusted if needed. ^{[2] [6]}
• Avoid drastic diet changes; official warfarin guidance repeatedly advises a normal, balanced diet with consistent vitamin K rather than strict avoidance. ^{[6] [7]}
• Monitor for signs that INR may be off: unusual bruising or bleeding can signal INR is too high, while new swelling or pain in a leg could suggest a clot if INR is too low seek medical advice promptly. ^{[8] [9]}

What official guidance says

• Patient and prescriber warfarin instructions emphasize consistent vitamin K intake and caution against large increases in vitamin K–rich foods; they do not require eliminating specific foods but stress stability. ^{[6] [10]}
• Educational resources also note that vitamin K–containing foods can change warfarin’s effect, so keeping daily vitamin K levels steady is important to keep INR in range. ^{[3] [11]}
• Some clinical resources specifically include avocado among foods to limit in large amounts for those on warfarin. ^{[4] [5]}

Bottom line

• You can include avocado in your diet while taking warfarin if you eat it in consistent, modest amounts. ^[2]
• Avoid making sudden, large changes in avocado consumption, because large amounts can reduce warfarin’s effect and lower your INR. ^[1]
• If your avocado intake changes, arrange an earlier INR check and speak with your healthcare team to see whether a dose adjustment is needed. ^{[2] [6]}