Top 5 Foods Rich in Vitamin K

Vitamin K is needed to build bones, for blood clotting and to protect the heart. The vitamin helps in maintaining the flexibility of blood vessels, and the person suffering from deficiency of vitamin K can suffer from hemorrhage, osteoporosis, bone fracture and easy bruising. You do not require supplements of vitamin K and high intake of vitamin K can have adverse effects on the functioning of human body. Excessive intake of vitamin K can cause blood thickening which can cause stroke or vascular problems. Vitamin K is mostly found in raw fruits and vegetables, and to restore the vitamin, one should try to eat the fruits and vegetables in raw form. The recommended quantity of vitamin K is 80 μg (micrograms). The top 5 foods rich in vitamin K are:

1. Kale

Kale is a form of cabbage which is green or purple in color, and it contains one of the highest quantities of vitamin K. In 1 cup of Kale 547 μg of vitamin K can be found, and kale is also rich in vitamin C, lutein, beta carotene and calcium. Kale is a popular winter dish in Europe and it gets tastier as it is exposed to frost. It can be taken in the form of salads with red pepper or almonds dressing, or it can be cooked with potatoes and tomatoes.

2. Collards

It belongs to the family of cabbage and broccoli, and it contains carbohydrate, proteins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium in good amount. It contains 623 μg of vitamin K in 100 g of serving. It is prepared with green leafy vegetables and it can be eaten all around the year. It is mostly prepared by crushing and mixing with red pepper, salt, onion and vinegar.

3. Spinach

Spinach is an edible plant which contains carbohydrates, fiber, proteins and high quantities of vitamin A (which includes beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin), vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K. It contains 483 μg of vitamin K in 100 g of spinach. Spinach can be taken in frozen, boiled or drained solid form and it contains many other minerals required by the body. It can even be eaten in raw form with pepper and salt sprinkled on it.

4. Turnip Greens

Turnip top is called turnip green. Turnip is white skinned vegetable and it can have purple or green color on the white base. Turnip is red or green in the region where sunlight falls directly on it. Turnip greens contain high quantities of carbohydrate, fiber, proteins and vitamins such as vitamin A, C and K. Turnip contains 368 μg of vitamin K in 100 g of serving. It is also rich in Folate and lutein.

5. Herbs

The dry herbs such as basil, sage and thyme contain around 50 μg of vitamin K per tablespoon of serving. There are other herbs rich in vitamin K such as oregano, coriander and marjoram, which can be included in diet to fulfill the vitamin K requirement of the body. Fresh Parsley is a very good source of vitamin K and it contains 82% of the vitamin per tablespoon serving.

Source: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-vitamin-k.php