Vitamin K is a vitamin important in the process of blood clotting. Without the blood's ability to clot, wounds would continue to bleed. Vitamin K performs this vital function by providing the liver with the ability to produce components in the blood which can coagulate (clot). Vitamin K deficiency is rare, but knowing what foods contain vitamin K can help to keep the body's blood-clotting ability in good working order.
High Vitamin K Foods
Foods considered high in vitamin K have over 200 percent of the daily value (DV), which is an estimate of the daily need of 80 micrograms per day. The DV is the recommended amount for consumption based on a 2,000 calorie diet. The USDA lists a recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 65 micrograms for adult females and 80 micrograms for adult males. The RDA is the average dietary need that will satisfy 98 percent of the population. Foods high in vitamin K include kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard and mustard greens; the serving size for each of these foods is one-half cup, and the amount of vitamin K is based on the serving being fresh and boiled. Parsley is also high in vitamin K, but its serving size is one-fourth cup and is based on a raw serving.
Moderately High Vitamin K Foods
Foods with moderately high amounts of vitamin K include Brussels sprouts, which has the highest amount at 190 percent of the daily value, spinach (180 percent), turnip greens (170 percent), green leaf lettuce (125 percent), broccoli (110 percent), and endive and romaine lettuce (each with 70 percent). These percentages are based on a serving size of one cup, except for Brussels sprouts, which has a serving size of one-half cup.
Other Vitamin K Foods
Other foods that contain vitamin K include canola oil, olive oil and soybean oil. One tablespoon of soybean oil contains 25 micrograms of vitamin K. One tablespoon of canola oil has 16.6 micrograms of vitamin K. One tablespoon of olive oil has 8.1 micrograms of vitamin K.
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