BOKISSONTHRONE: Best Foods for Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a necessary nutrient. It helps build and maintain healthy bones. The vitamin’s biggest claim to fame is its role in helping blood clotting, known as “coagulation.” In fact, the “K” comes from the German word for blood clotting, koagulation.

Leafy green vegetables contain the highest amounts of vitamin K, but there are many other good sources. On average, adult women need 90 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K per day and adult men need 120 mcg.

Note: If you take blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), your intake of this nutrient may affect the dosage of your medication. Check with your doctor and speak with a dietitian to understand the proper daily value of vitamin K for you.

Here’s the full list of foods packed with vitamin K:

kale
collard greens
spinach
turnip greens
Brussels sprouts
broccoli
asparagus
lettuce
sauerkraut
soybeans
edamame
pickles
pumpkin
pine nuts
blueberries

1. Kale

565 mcg per 1/2 cup, cooked

Vitamin K helps in blood clotting by enabling your body to make proteins involved in the blood clotting process. Clotting is important because it helps prevent your body from bleeding too much.

Kale is the vitamin K king. It’s known as one of the superfoods. Rightfully so, because it’s also rich in calcium, potassium, and folate, among other vitamins and minerals.

2. Collard greens

530 mcg per 1/2 cup, boiled

In addition to its role in clotting, vitamin K helps in bone growth. Some studiesTrusted Source have also linked low vitamin K intake to the development of osteoporosis, which results in fragile bones that can break easily. To get a healthy dose, try out this vegetarian collard greens recipe.

3. Spinach

444 mcg per 1/2 cup, cooked

Spinach is filled with all sorts of nutritional goodness, including vitamins A, B and E, plus magnesium, folate, and iron. A half cup of cooked spinach contains about three times as much vitamin K as a cup of raw spinach does, but one raw serving is still plenty for one day.

4. Turnip greens

425 mcg per 1/2 cup, cooked

Turnip greens are used in popular side dishes in the Southeastern United States. Turnip greens are also high in calcium, which helps strengthen bones. Mustard greens and beet greens also contain high levels of vitamin K. The bulbous part of the turnip that grows underground is nutritious, too.

5. Brussels sprouts

150 mcg per 1/2 cup, cooked

Kids may not love the idea of Brussels sprouts, but many recipes can make them taste really good. Give this crispy garlic Brussels sprouts with Sriracha aioli recipe a try.

6. Broccoli

85 mcg per 1/2 cup, cooked

There are all sorts of ways to prepare broccoli. Whatever your recipe, try cooking it with canola oil or olive oil, not only to add flavor but to boost the vitamin K content as well. A tablespoon of either contains about 10 mcg of vitamin K.

7. Asparagus

72 mcg per 1/2 cup, cooked

Four spears of asparagus packs about 40 mcg of vitamin K. Add a little olive oil and you’re up to about half of an adequate daily intake. Keep in mind that eating a lot of vitamin K-rich food in one day won’t do you good for an extended period. The body doesn’t absorb much vitamin K from foods and flushes it out pretty quickly.

8. Lettuce

60 mcg per serving (1/2 head of iceberg or 1 cup of romaine)

Lettuce is probably the most popular source of vitamin K in American diets. It’s available at salad bars and grocery stores across the country in different varieties, including iceberg, romaine, green leaf, and bibb.

9. Sauerkraut

56 mcg per 1/2 cup

Pile your hot dog or sausage high with sauerkraut. You’ll get a nice punch of protein, too. Sauerkraut is readily available at many local eateries or chains.

10. Soybeans

43 mcg per 1/2 cup, roasted

There are two main kinds of vitamin K, known as vitamin K-1 (phylloquinone) and K-2 (menaquinones). K-1 comes from plants, while K-2 exists is smaller amounts in animal-based foods and fermented foods, such as cheese. Soybeans and soybean oil contain more of the K-2 kind as well.