Foods Highest in Vitamin K – Kale
Foods High in Vitamin K consist mostly of dark green leafy vegetables. Leading the list is Kale, followed by Collard Greens, (a personal favorite of mine), spinach and turnip greens (another favorite of mine). I live in Chicago, but lived many years down south. What can I say? They got Me!
Frozen and without salt added have the highest concentration. Other decent sources are Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Onions, Dandelion Greens, common in prepackaged fancy mixed salad greens these days. Vitamin K can also be found in mos Lettuces, Avocado, Parsley, Asparagus, Sauerkraut and Endive. Some vegetable oils may also have high levels of the vitamin. It may also be found in beef and pork liver.
An interesting medical fact, if you are taking Coumadin, (warfarin), a blood thinner, Vitamin K may reduce the affect of the drug, while consuming Vitamin K may increase it’s affect. If you are taking Coumadin, it would be advisable to ask to ask your doctor about this.
Vitamin K has coagulatory properties and is produced mainly in the lower intestine. A recommended daily intake would be 65 to 120 micrograms per day for the average person. This vitamin is essential for proper blood clotting and healthy bone development, and helping to keep blood vessels flexible.
A serious lack of Vitamin K can lead to osteoporosis, excessive bleeding or even hemorrhaging, atherosclerosis, and even birth defects caused by improper bone growth and development. So what exactly is Vitamin K?
Vitamin K falls into a broad chemical category of naphthoquinones. All types of vitamin K fall into abroad chemical category of substances called naphthoquinones. Within this naphthoquinone category, there are two types of vitamin K. The first kind, known ashylloquinones, is made from plants. The second type, known as menaquinones, is made from bacteria. most of this vitamin we consume comes from plants, mostly dark green leafy vegetables. This should give you a good overview of which foods are high in Vitamin K other good sources to obtain it and reasons to consume it and the health benefits of it.
