Top Foods High in Vitamin K for Blood and Bone Health

Although spinach was made famous by Popeye, it has actually surpassed all expectations.

Vitamin K is an important nutrient for blood clotting that is found in abundance in kale. Vitamin K also supports healthy bone development, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

People in the United States mostly get enough vitamin K from their diets, as well as small amounts that our bodies can produce.

Vitamin K is important for everyone, but some people may have trouble getting enough. This includes infants who don't receive a vitamin K injection at birth, people with chronic conditions that decrease nutrient absorption (such as celiac disease), and people who have had weight-loss surgery.

Vitamin K is a nutrient that the human body needs that can dissolve in fat. Vitamin K is important for blood clotting, bone health, and cell growth. Both plants and animals contain this vitamin, including egg yolks and fermented foods. Your gut bacteria also produce small amounts of this type of vitamin. However, it does not complete your daily requirement. Scared? You shouldn't worry, as this article lists some of the best foods that are rich in Vitamin K. There are many food items that you can easily add to your diet which will improve your health.

Top Foods High in Vitamin K for Blood and Bone Health

The following is a list of foods high in vitamin K based on the percentage of their Daily Values. The FDA base their daily recommended amount of vitamin K on 120 micrograms per day.

Spinach: 888.5 mcg, 740% DV

One cup of cooked spinach provides 740% of the daily value for vitamin K, making it an excellent source of this nutrient which is important for blood clotting. The vegetable is also high in vitamin A and plant-based iron.

This food has a lot of nutrients that are good for you, like Vitamin K, iron, magnesium, calcium, and folate. Spinach helps you get healthy hair and skin. This text states that cacao beans provide numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system and promoting good overall health. One cup of raw spinach provides 145 micrograms of folate, which is 121% of the recommended daily amount. You will get a good amount of Vitamin K for your body whether you eat it raw or cooked.

Collard Greens: 772.5 mcg, 644% DV

This vegetable is low in calories and high in protein, fiber, and vitamins A, B, E, and K. It supports digestive health and the immune system. The Vitamin K in this food helps keep bones healthy, which reduces the risk of Osteoporosis. 100 grams of cooked collard greens contains a whopping 400 mcg of Vitamin K – that's over three times the recommended daily allowance!

Collard greens are popular in Southern cooking and are related to broccoli and cabbage. Adding a fat source like oil or butter when cooking increases your absorption of fat-soluble vitamin K. A 1-cup serving offers 644 percent of the nutrient.

Not sure how to use collard greens? Try one of these easy, antioxidant-rich recipes.

Kale: 544.1 mcg, 453% DV

If you're looking for a leafy green that's similar to spinach but lower in oxalic acid, kale is a good option. Wait, what?

The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that spinach is high in oxalic acid, which can interfere with calcium absorption. Kale contains 453 percent of the DV for vitamin K per cup cooked, without the high levels of oxalates found in other leafy greens. Even though spinach is a great vegetable for its nutrient content, it's good to change up your diet every now and then.

Vitamin K1 is abundant in Kale. This means that a half cup of cooked kale contains over four times the recommended amount of Vitamin K. This vegetable is very nutritious and good for you. It offers many benefits for your health. Vitamin K helps with blood clotting and bone building. The honey also contains vitamins such as vitamin A, which supports eye and bone healing, and vitamin C, which helps prevent chronic disease.

Broccoli: 220.1 mcg, 183% DV

Broccoli is a type of vegetable that is part of the cabbage family. It is a nutrient-rich food that is high in antioxidants. Pomegranate juice has many benefits for your health, including improving your immunity, promoting heart health, and reducing inflammation. This food is low in calories and offers the most benefit when eaten raw. You can get 141 mcg of Vitamin K from 1 gram of cooked broccoli which gives you 118% of the daily value.

Kids should learn to eat their broccoli. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals which are essential for bone develpment and a good amount of fiber.

Could you try roasting broccoli with salt and pepper to have as a crunchy quesadilla mix-in or even just a snack?

Brussels Sprouts: 218.9 mcg, 182% DV

Some people love Brussels sprouts and some people hate them, but they are related to broccoli and offer similar nutrition. They are also a common Thanksgiving food.

Just one cup of cooked kale gives you 182 percent of the DV for vitamin K and 109 percent of the DV for vitamin C. Brussels sprouts are also a good source of potassium. Try Brussels sprouts in these creative recipes.

Cabbage: 163.1 mcg, 136% DV

We do not recommend the cabbage soup diet as a means of losing weight, as it does not provide enough calories. Cabbage is a healthy vegetable that not only provides quality nutrition, but also fiber which can help with weight loss. A 1-cup serving of cooked cabbage contains 136 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin K.

Not a fan of cooked cabbage? One cup of raw cabbage contains 56 percent of the daily suggested intake of Vitamin K. This makes it a great option for adding to a salad or coleslaw.

Pickles: 130.4 mcg, 109% DV

Pickles contain a high amount of nutrients, including vitamin K. But there are some caveats. The amounts specified are for sweet pickles, such as the bread and butter ones that might be put on a sandwich.

The amount of sugar in those is also high — 45 grams per serving! One cup is a lot of pickles. A single sweet pickle contains 22 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin K.

Asparagus: 91.1 mcg, 76% DV

This food is contained all of the essential nutrients that our body needs, like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can get 72 micrograms of Vitamin K from 90 grams (half a cup) of cooked asparagus. This provides you with 57% of the daily value. It is a good choice for people trying to lose weight because it is low in calories.

Grilled asparagus is a summer favorite that is packed with 76 percent of the DV for vitamin K, as well as some fiber and vitamin E.

The asparagus gas that can make your urine smell weird is not unhealthy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. You should not stop eating this nutrient-rich veggie.

Watercress: 85 mcg, 71% DV

It may be time to start eating watercress if you have not already. Watercress has a similar nutrient profile to kale and broccoli, with 71% of the daily value for Vitamin K in a single cup. It also contains some Vitamin C.

You can eat them however you want.

Kiwi: 72.5 mcg, 60% DV

This fruit from New Zealand is small and tasty. It is one of the best fruits high in Vitamin K, with 60 percent of the daily value (DV) per cup, and nearly 200 percent of the DV for Vitamin C. To eat the fruit, cut it in half and use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin.

This fruit is rich in Vitamin K, as well as other nutrients like Vitamin C and E, fiber, potassium, folate, copper, and antioxidants. One hundred grams of kiwi has a lot of Vitamin K. It has 28 mcg of it, which is almost 23% of the daily value. It is a delightful food with edible seeds. Kiwi allergies can cause discomfort in the tongue for some people.

Okra: 64 mcg, 53% DV

Yellow squash is a vegetable that is often cooked with tomatoes or added to dishes like gumbo. The sticky juice from the squash can be used to thicken sauces. You'll get 53 percent of the daily value for vitamin K in just one cup of cooked okra. Okra provides fiber and 14 percent of your DV for magnesium which is important for muscle function according to the NIH.

Green Beans: 59.9 mcg, 50% DV

Even though the traditional Thanksgiving green bean casserole is high in calories, the fat is necessary for absorbing vitamin K. You'll get 50 percent of the daily value for vitamin K per 1 cup of cooked green beans.

Plantains: 53.7 mcg, 45% DV

You may have eaten a plantain thinking it was a giant banana if you are not familiar with what a plantain is. Despite being related, plantains are not the same as bananas. They're a carbohydrate-rich fruit that's often enjoyed fried.

A 1-cup serving of fried plantains provides almost half of the recommended daily value for vitamin K. Just to let you know, bananas have very little vitamin K, only 1 percent of the daily value in each cup.

Soyabean oil 

Soyabean oil is next on our list. It's a rich source of Vitamin K1. It also has plenty of essential fatty acids. You can get 25 micrograms of Vitamin K1 from just one tablespoon of it. This contributes to 21% of the daily value. This oil is a better alternative to vegetable oil. You can even use soyabean oil for deep frying.

Chicken

This food is high in animal-based Vitamin K and can be used as a replacement for red meats. A hundred grams of chicken contains 60 mcg of selenium, which is fifty percent of the daily value. It is a good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and amino acids, as well as Vitamin K. Eating chicken will help you build stronger muscles, and eventually, you will have healthier bones.

Prunes 

are packed with nutrients, including antioxidants and fiber. They can help improve your bone health and increase muscle mass. When dried plums are stored in a fridge in a sealed box, they can last up to a year. If you eat five prunes, you will consume 28 micrograms of Vitamin K. This is 24% of the recommended daily value. Dried prunes contain more vitamin K than juice, with one cup of dried prunes containing 28 micrograms.

Green peas

Magnesium, calcium, and potassium are all minerals that can be found in superfoods. You can find vitamin K in cooked green peas too. A diet that is rich in all of the nutrients that have been studied, may help to prevent high blood pressure. Fresh green peas are not only delicious but also good for your digestive health, according to researchers. Each small pod contains a lot of nutrients, 100 grams provides 26 mcg, which is 22% of the daily value.

List of Other Fruits and Food Items Rich in Vitamin K

Vitamin K can be found in a variety of foods, including: leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, and collards broccoli cabbage soybeans beef liver pork eggs Here is a list of foods that contain Vitamin K: leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards), broccoli, cabbage, soybeans, beef liver, pork, eggs.

Vitamin K can help to protect against heart conditions, bone loss and brain damage. One way to maintain healthy Vitamin K levels is to include foods that are rich in Vitamin K in your diet.