Bananas

[NJ47]

I've had a look at various sites regarding bananas. Are they, or are the not good for us AFers?

What other fruits are ok? Pears, Oranges, Grapes, Kiwi, Grapefruit?

What works for others?

Thanks

[krosmon]

I found I cannot eat bananas - they do not agree with me. Acid fruits are a no-no as I am on an anti-coagulant (Eliquis) and I think grapefruit and citrus fruits do not do well if you are on warfarin or anything similar. Look it up on line - watch out for some leafy veggies as well as they contain Vitamin K, and too much Vitamin K is not good for your body when you are on these medications. Finding good fruits and veggies is a problem with me as a lot of what I can have I don't care for, and visa versa.

[CDreamer]

Bananas contain potassium which is often good for AFers and they are carbohydrate so contain a lot of calories, so I only ever half a banana, that's why endurance athletes love them! However only eat ripe but not brown bananas. Citrus fruits, excluding lemons, are not recommended if you follow the Foodmap diet and as krosmon says, many people find them a trigger for AF. I don't know why they would be incompatible with anticoagulants, I am on an NOAC so don't have any food restrictions as don't have to worry about Vitk. The only veg which is a no no is aubergine.

[Rellim296 in reply to CDreamer]

What's bad about aubergines? For those on warfarin they are very low in vitamin K.

[CDreamer in reply to Rellim296]

If you have or have had IBS it is a no no. It's one of the no foods on the Fodmops diet. It literally goes straight through me. I think the record was about 4 mins from mouth t'other end.

[Rellim296 in reply to CDreamer]

Oh, that doesn't sound good, but thank you.

Now you come to mention it, I do recall deciding that it was a Bad Idea to share a whole roast aubergine with my husband when he was on a diet that required all veggies to be peeled, and thus to have a choice between eating all the skin myself or throwing much of it away. Being of slightly Scottish descent and preferring not to waste food, I ate what was clearly much too much.

[NJ47 in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks CDreamer. What's an NOAC?

[CDreamer in reply to NJ47]

Novel Oral Anti Coagulant - the alternatives to Warfarin which don't require INR testing so you don't have to worry about what you eat.

[NJ47 in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks. Have a great day

[Hidden]

I eat a banana every day plus lots of other fruits and nuts in my breakfast, have done donkeys years. But I avoid cranberry because of Warfarin, and also grapefruit because of statins (I think, can't remember just know I'm not supposed to eat it).

I don't eat acid fruits because I don't like them, so no comment there.

Koll

______

[jeanjeannie50]

I buy very small bananas, because I love them and it means I can have two over a day. I thought they were good for us because of the potassium they contain. I also eat an apple and orange daily along with mixed nuts. Every time I've eaten blueberries my AF has started, so exclude them from my diet now.

[Hidden]

I think bananas are good for us because of the potassium, and nobody's ever said to me not to eat acid fruits - I love apples... I guess it depends on your own reaction to them. Grapefruit interacts with some drugs, but I'd have to do more research to tell you which (some of hubby's high blood pressure ones for sure) and cranberries are a big no-no if you're on warfarin. Otherwise as Beancounter wisely says, adapt the warfarin to the diet, not the diet to the warfarin...

Lis

[jennydog]

Bananas - the best pre-packed convenience food. Have you tried banana sandwiches, preferably made with toast?

Seriously, I could not live without bananas. Tangerines/ mandarins are excellent for snacks but be sure to buy only the peel able type.

A diet without fruit and vegetables will be seriously inadequate.

[NJ47 in reply to jennydog]

Thanks for this. Yea, like banana sandwiches but on toast sounds even better. Might try and come up with something a bit different and post it on here. Hmm

[Barb1]

The best reply on here is 'adapt the warfarin to the diet' Eat what you like but don't binge on anything

[Tobw in reply to Barb1]

Exactly, I eat two bananas a day because like them and I believe they do me more good than harm.

[Timmo50]

Personally I think what's good for you is to stop worrying what's bad for you

[NJ47 in reply to Timmo50]

You've got a point there Timo

[Therealsue]

I eat all fruit and veg except kale, spinach and broccoli. Interested to know why aubergine is not recommended

[Rellim296 in reply to Therealsue]

I haven't looked up the details, but I think that broccoli is nothing like as high in vitamin K as kale, spring cabbage/collards and spinach - and parsley, which is absolutely laden with vitamin K.

[NJ47 in reply to Rellim296]

Hope not. I lurve broccoli

[Rellim296 in reply to NJ47]

Just looked at a few items on the list ectopic1 mentioned *

Raw Parsley 1640

Kale 817

Raw spinach 482

Cooked spinach 493

Cooked broccoli 141

All micrograms of vitamin K per 100g

*as follows

The USDA database has every nutrient tabulated for over 8000 different foodstuffs:

ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/

Search by nutrient or foodstuff.

[Hidden]

I was told by my hospital consultant to eat a banana every day to help keep my potassium levels up for AF. In fact , more recently the cardiac sister told me to eat 2 bananas the day before my DCCV as my levels were a bit on the low side.

As far as calories go, yes they do have roughly twice the calories of apples & a medium size one is about 80 calories, not astronomical -- easily incorporated in a calorie controlled diet. You could easily eat twice as much in rubbish.

My husband, an ex - rugby player, has always incorporated bananas in his diet. He has a physical job & if he leaves this out he will almost certainly get leg cramps.

I tend to avoid citrus fruits as I find they aggravate my arthritis but did not know that they were a trigger for some for AF. I miss grapefruit very much!

As far as Warfarin goes, I think that it is a mistake to leave out leafy green veg as some do. I have always consumed broccoli, brussels sprouts etc but in a consistent fashion.

Consistency & moderation are the keys.

Sandra

[Tobw in reply to Hidden]

I agree Sandra. As far as leafy green veg goes, I've never been one for spinach, kale etc., but I eat lot of salads and tend to put rocket in all of them. I've not cut down on the amount of rocket I eat since going on Warfarin and, although my INR is a bit all over the place at the moment after having had to come off it a month ago for my prostate biopsy (which turned out to be good news), it's generally been within target range through about 85% of the the five and a half years I've been taking an anti coagulant despite all of the rocket I eat.

[Dadog]

Most things are OK i.org n reasonable quantities. There is a good and detailed guide in the CareAF book (have you all got your copies by now?). It actually states that cranberries are OK but cranberry juice is not. Haven't worked that out yet! Copies can be obtained at careaf.org

[loobylou777]

Hi CDreamer

I would also be interested to know why Aubergine is a no no. It is low in vit k and didn't think any veges affected NOACS? Thanks

[MammaCass]

I eat everything but cranberries, the dr said that they would work the warfarin around my diet. The only thing that really knocks my inr is bread so I limit it to one slice a day,

[iris1205]

Hi, I just added a post which gives links to food sources --- interesting data!

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

[NJ47]

Thanks for this Iris. Will check it out