7 Ways to Eat More Vitamin K That Taste Way Better Than a Supplement

YOU CAN BE familiar with sources vitamin C (Eat your oranges and bell peppers, people), but unless you’re a nutrition geek, we’re going to go ahead and assume you might not be able to dial in vitamin K-rich foods as quickly. No more!

“Vitamin K is a critical vitamin in our diets, serving a variety of functions within the body. Interestingly, the term ‘vitamin K’ actually refers to several different fat-soluble vitamins rather than just a vitamin as many assume. Although these two vitamins have a similar structure and function, their dietary sources, absorption rates, and bioavailability are different,” says Kristin Gillespie, MS, RD, LDN, nutrition consultant for exercisewithstyle.com.

As Gillespie explains, vitamin K1 is the most common type of vitamin K in the diet and is found primarily in floorsincluded green leafy vegetablesvegetable oils and some Fruit. Vitamin K2 is found in some animal products and fermented foods, says Gillespie.

“While vitamin K1 must be ingested orally, vitamin K2 can be produced within the body by our gut bacteria. The most prominent functions of vitamin K are related to bone health and blood clotting. This vitamin is vital for the synthesis of prothrombin and osteocalcin, proteins that in turn regulate blood coagulation and bone metabolism. Beyond these two key health benefits, vitamin K status has also been associated with cognitive health and memory, blood pressureand risk of heart disease and stroke,” says Gillespie.

“Most Americans can get enough of this nutrient between oral ingestion, intestinal absorption, and internal production. However, newborns and people with conditions that affect nutrient absorption may be at risk of deficiency,” she warns, adding that vitamin K deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis, hemorrhage, and excessive bleeding.

Beyond these associations, deficiency is also thought to result in higher blood pressure, as well as increased risk of heart disease and stroke, says Gillespie.

Like Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD/LDN, director of nutrition at Body Beautiful MiamiExplained in more detail, your health care provider may recommend a vitamin K supplement if you fall into any of these categories:

• People who have a disease that affects absorption in the digestive tract, such as Crohn’s disease or active celiac disease.
• People taking medications that interfere with the absorption of vitamin K
• People who are severely malnourished
• Heavy consumers of alcohol

As Gomer points out, the recommended intake of vitamin K1 is at least 90 mcg (micrograms)/day for women and at least 120 mcg/day for men, and the recommended intake of vitamin K2 is between 100-300 mcg/day for both men as for women. women. “Those with certain medical conditions may need more, as recommended by their health care specialist,” she says. “There are no known serious side effects from taking too much of the vitamin, however researchers have not established a safe maximum dose.”

Here are seven foods to load up on to get your dose of vitamin K and help protect your health.

kale

Gillespie notes that cooked kale has 531 mcg of vitamin K per ½-cup serving, more than 400 percent of the daily value reference amount to consume (or not exceed) each day.

Impressive huh?

Kale is well known as a nutritional powerhouse that contains many other nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, and C, calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese,” he says.

chard

“Chard is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin K and a good source of vitamin C and magnesium,” says Gomer. “Chard also contains the antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vitamin A plays an important role in the normal formation and maintenance of many organs, including the heart, lungsand kidneys.”

If you eat it raw, a 3.5-ounce serving of Swiss chard contains 830 mcg of vitamin K, says Gomer. One cup of cooked Swiss chard contains 477 percent of the daily value.

Kale

Another leafy green worth charging up.

“Cooked kale has 386 mcg of vitamin K per ½ cup serving. This is more than 300 percent of the daily value,” says Gillespie. “Sprouts are a rich source of several key nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, folate, and magnesium.”

Spinach

“Raw spinach contains 145 mcg of vitamin K per 1-cup serving. This is over 100% of the daily value, but keep in mind the larger serving size compared to the other vegetables listed,” says Gillespie. “Like kale, spinach is widely recognized for its nutrient profile and associated health benefits. Beyond vitamin K, spinach is also rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, folic acid, ironand calcium.”

Blue cheese

For foods rich in vitamin K, also consider cheeses. Especially blue cheese which has 440 mcg of vitamin K (specifically vitamin K2) per 3.5-ounce serving.

“Blue cheese may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Due to its high calcium content, blue cheese can help people achieve healthier bone density,” says Gomer. “It can help reduce inflammation. Many conditions such as arthritis, sinusitis, and asthma cause inflammation, and blue cheese can help soothe those suffering from these problems by reducing inflammation.”

Broccoli

“Cooked broccoli contains 110 mcg of vitamin K per ½ cup serving. This is ~90% of the daily value for this nutrient,” says Gillespie. “Broccoli, like many of these other leafy greens, is rich in many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Also, it has a high protein content compared to most other vegetables.”

pork chops

“Pork chops contain 59 mcg of vitamin K per three-ounce serving,” says Gillespie, noting that this is about half the daily value.

“Pork chops are unprocessed and often leaner than other cuts of pork (and other red meats), so they offer a healthier option when it comes to meats,” says Gillespie, adding that other nutrients that pork chops are high in include protein, potassium, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and calcium.