{"id":52428,"date":"2022-07-06T15:20:08","date_gmt":"2022-07-06T19:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=52428"},"modified":"2026-03-01T18:59:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T23:59:54","slug":"foods-to-avoid-with-eliquis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/foods-to-avoid-with-eliquis\/","title":{"rendered":"What foods to avoid while on Eliquis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eliquis<\/span><\/a> (apixaban) is a blood thinner that belongs to a class of medications called direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). It is used to prevent and treat blood clots in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is a type of irregular heartbeat that\u2019s not caused by a heart valve problem. Many people are aware of the blood thinner Coumadin (<\/span>warfarin<\/span><\/a>) and how certain foods need to be avoided while taking it. But what about the <\/span>newer anticoagulants<\/span><\/a>? Let\u2019s take a closer look at what foods to avoid while on Eliquis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>DVT treatments and medications<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

How Eliquis works<\/span><\/h2>\n

Eliquis works by blocking factor Xa (pronounced \u201cten-A\u201d), a factor in our blood that helps clots form. This is sometimes referred to as a <\/span>factor Xa inhibitor<\/span><\/a>. There are many clotting factors in our blood, and factor Xa is one of the main ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike the older blood thinner Coumadin (warfarin), Eliquis doesn\u2019t require monitoring of the international normalized ratio (INR), which is a process of regularly checking a person’s blood to ensure that it’s clotting within the desired range. Warfarin also belongs to a different class of medications called vitamin K antagonists, which work differently than DOACs like Eliquis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eliquis is prescribed in <\/span>doses of 2.5 or 5 milligrams<\/span><\/a> to be taken twice a day. <\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tEliquis 5 mg (60 Tablet)\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t23666 - Hampton, VA\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Kroger\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t$155.92\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Harris\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t$155.92\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\ti<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\tPrice with signup<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tGet free coupon<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\tSee Eliquis prices at all pharmacies<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n

Foods to avoid while on blood thinners\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Eliquis doesn\u2019t work like other blood thinners, which have various food restrictions. For example, if you\u2019re taking warfarin, you need to be conscientious of how much vitamin K-containing foods you consume since <\/span>warfarin and Vitamin K<\/span><\/a> work against each other: Warfarin is a blood thinner, while Vitamin K helps blood clot. But that doesn\u2019t mean you should avoid foods rich in vitamin K entirely while on warfarin. It just means you need to consume a consistent amount of vitamin K-rich foods on a day-to-day basis so the body can maintain a healthy balance of both warfarin and Vitamin K. Examples of vitamin K-rich foods include spinach, broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, apixaban (the active ingredient in Eliquis) does not rely on the vitamin K-dependent clotting pathway. Eliquis acts on clotting factor Xa and is unaffected by vitamin K intake. In fact, Eliquis has not been shown to have a bad interaction with any foods. The usual culprits when it comes to food-drug interactions, such as leafy green vegetables, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, coffee, and peppermint tea, are safe to enjoy while taking Eliquis\u2014although some should be enjoyed in moderation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Foods to avoid or limit while taking Eliquis<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unlike other anticoagulants, Eliquis doesn\u2019t require you to avoid leafy greens. In fact, Eliquis doesn\u2019t have any dietary contraindications. However, certain citrus fruits prevent the breakdown of apixaban, meaning the drug stays in the body longer than it should and can increase the risk of bleeding and other side effects. While small amounts are generally okay, you should <\/span>limit your intake of the following<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n