Vitamin K is found in various foods. It is important for blood clotting and healthy bones. Find out here which foods contain a particularly high amount of vitamin K.
Vitamin K refers to a group of chemically related substances that perform similar tasks in the body. Two forms of vitamin K in particular occur in nature:
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Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) is produced by plants and is therefore found in plant-based foods. We can get most of our vitamin K needs by eating vegetables like spinach and cabbage.
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Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) is produced by bacteria – either in the human intestine or by bacteria involved in the fermentation of foods such as sauerkraut or yogurt. However, the vitamin K2 released in your own intestine cannot be absorbed by the human organism, so you should eat fermented foods to supply yourself with vitamin K2.
These foods contain a particularly high amount of vitamin K
(Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / evitaochel)
The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has created reference values for the daily requirement for vitamin K. Therefore need
- Women about 60 micrograms (µg),
- Men about 70 micrograms (µg),
- Children, depending on age, between 15 and 50 micrograms (µg) of vitamin K.
The main source of vitamin K comes from plant foods. We can easily cover our vitamin K needs by eating vegetables. Green leafy vegetables, cabbage, legumes and some oils contain a particularly high amount of vitamin K. This is how many micrograms of vitamin K there are in 100 grams of edible portion of the food:
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Kale: 817
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Spinach: 305
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Broccoli, cooked: 270
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Brussels sprouts: 236
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Fennel: 240
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Purslane: 381
- Chives: 380
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Watercress: 250
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Chickpea (seeds, dry): 264
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Soy flour (full fat): 200
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Grapeseed oil: 280
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Broccoli, raw: 155
- Lettuce: 109
- Mung bean (dry): 170
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Urd bean (dry): 130
- Lens (dry): 123
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Wheat germ: 131
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Rapeseed oil: 150
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Soybean oil: 138
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Pumpkin seed oil: 112
These information are average values. The actual vitamin content varies depending on the season. How food is stored can also have an influence on the vitamin K content.
Although vitamin K is not sensitive to heat, it is extremely sensitive to light, so you should store foods as protected from light as possible.
As a rule, we get enough vitamin K from food
Vitamin K primarily takes on the following important functions in the body:
- Inhibiting bone loss and thereby preventing osteoporosis
- Formation of blood clotting factors
Vitamin K deficiency is rare because it is easily obtained through food. However, long-term use of some antibiotics as well as some chronic diseases of the digestive organs or liver cirrhosis can cause vitamin K deficiency as a side effect. Newborns also often initially have a vitamin K deficiency.
Recipes with a lot of vitamin K
Vitamin K, like carotenoids, is fat-soluble, so your body can absorb it best when you consume it with some healthy fat or oil. We usually get enough vitamin K through a mainly plant-based and balanced diet.
But it doesn’t hurt to have a few recipes up your sleeve – because leafy greens, cabbage and legumes are among the healthiest foods of all anyway. For example, try these recipes:
- Kale Smoothie: A recipe for the green vitamin bomb
- Brussels sprouts from the oven: A dish full of delicious roasted flavors
- Orzotto with fennel: A quick recipe
- Panisse: French recipe for chickpea fries
Read more on Techzle\.com:
- Furan in food: What you should know
- Vitamins – everything you should know about them
- Vegan diet: vitamins from plant sources
Edited by Denise Schmucker
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