The USDA maintains a nutrient data laboratory to develop authoritative food composition databases and access methods. The scientific community and the general public can search the USDA database for information on nutrients in foods and dietary supplements. The databases are used in food policy, research and nutrition monitoring, according to the Nutrient Data Laboratory. The databases contain entries describing the vitamin K content of nearly a thousand food items. Foods with the highest vitamin K content are dark green, leafy vegetables.
Kale
One cup of frozen kale, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 1,146mcg of vitamin K, the highest amount listed in the nutrient database. Kale that has not been frozen and is cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains 1,062 mcg of vitamin K, according to the database.
Collards
One cup of frozen collards, chopped, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 1,059mcg of vitamin K. One cup of collards that have not been frozen and are cooked, boiled and drained without salt have 836mcg of vitamin K, 21 percent less than the frozen collards.
Spinach
One cup of frozen spinach, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 1,027mcg of vitamin K. One cup of drained canned spinach contains 988mcg of vitamin K. Fresh spinach that is cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains 889mcg of vitamin K. One cup of spinach souffle contains only 172mcg of vitamin K.
Turnip Greens
One cup of frozen turnip greens, cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains 851mcg of vitamin K. One cup of fresh turnip greens cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains 529mcg of vitamin K.
Beet Greens
One cup of fresh beet greens, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 697mcg of vitamin K.
Dandelion Greens
One cup of dandelion greens that are cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains 579mcg of vitamin K.
Mustard Greens
One cup of mustard greens, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 419mcg of vitamin K.
Brussels Sprouts
One cup of frozen Brussels sprouts, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 300mcg of vitamin K. One cup of fresh Brussels sprouts, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 219mcg of vitamin K.
Broccoli
One cup of fresh broccoli that is cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains 220mcg of vitamin K. One cup of frozen broccoli, chopped, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 162mcg of vitamin K. One cup of fresh, raw broccoli contains 89mcg of vitamin K. One spear of fresh broccoli, cooked, boiled and drained without salt, contains 52mcg of vitamin K.
Onions
One cup of raw spring onions or scallions, including the tops and bulb, contains 207mcg of vitamin K.
References
- USDA Agricultural Research Service
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Vitamin K Content of Selected Foods
- "Understanding Nutrition, Ninth Edition", Eleanor Noss Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes (2002)
- "Krause's Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy, 10th Edition". Mahan and Escott-Stump. (2000).
Member Comments