Vitamin K has vital roles in your health and development. Its main function is to allow your blood to clot normally and prevent hemorrhaging. This essential vitamin also has roles in liver health, preventing internal bleeding, healing bruises and may influence bone strength. Your body can produce some of its own vitamin K from natural bacteria in your intestines, but it's also naturally present in many foods. Leafy greens are among the highest sources of vitamin K and you can find rich amount in many varieties.
Spinach
Spinach provides a high nutritional value and low calories. This leafy green has a sweet flavor and you can find it in most supermarkets fresh, frozen or canned. Spinach contains rich amounts of vitamin A, C and K, B vitamins, manganese, folate, magnesium, calcium and iron, among many other nutrients. The vitamin K provided by spinach incldues 1 oz. of frozen spinach with 118.9 mcg, 1 cup of raw spinach with 144.9 mcg and 1 cup of cooked spinach with 888.5 mcg. Whether eating spinach raw or steamed, you can benefit from many health promoting properties in every bite.
Collard Greens
Collards belong to the cabbage family and offers exceptional nutritional quality. This southern favorite has a bitter, but milder taste to spinach and tends to improve flavor in the cooler months. Collard greens contain rich sources of vitamins A, C and K, manganese, folate, calcium and dietary fiber. The vitamin K content of collard greens includes a 1 cup of cooked collards with 836 mcg and only a ½ cup of boiled, fresh collards containing 520 percent of daily values for this nutrient. You can enjoy collard greens in a soup or included in a stir-fry.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a type of beet and a popular vegetable along the Mediterranean. It has a similar flavor to spinach and contains a wide array of essential nutrients. Swiss chard contains rich amounts of Vitamin A, C and K, magnesium, manganese, potassium and iron. You can find plenty of vitamin K in Swiss chard with 1 cup of raw Swiss chard containing 298.8 mcg. This versatile vegetable has large crispy leaves and serves well raw or cooked in a stir-fry.
Considerations
The amount of vitamin K your body requires depends on such factors as age, gender and health status. MedlinePlus recommends that males and females aged 14-18 receive 75 mcg of vitamin K daily, whereas males and females aged 19 and older receive 90 mcg daily. Vitamin K can also interact with blood thinners such as warafin, so speak to your doctor about individual needs if you take these medications.
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