Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin, is an important vitamin for the blood-clotting process. Your body also uses vitamin K for bone mineralization and cell growth. The Institute of Medicine recommends an adequate intake of 120 mcg per day for males aged 19 and older or 90 mcg for females of the same age. Beans, both canned and dry, provide vitamin K, although many fruits and vegetables are better sources.
Canned Beans
Canned goods are put in the can right after being harvested, so they sometimes retain more nutrients than the fresh version if they were processed properly. Conversely, the website Fruits and Veggies More Matters explains that canning can cause the food to lose some nutrients, although it depends on the nutrient. In the case of vitamin K, most canned beans contain less of the nutrient.
Dry Beans
The mature type of beans like kidney, pinto and lima beans are considered dry beans. These beans are harvested dry and they tend to provide more nutrients than the fresher versions. Dry beans tend to contain more vitamin K than canned ones, although it depends on the type of bean.
Vitamin K Comparison
In comparison, 1 cup of dry kidney beans has three times the amount of vitamin K as the canned version, with 35 mcg compared to the canned version's 10.5 mcg. The canned versions of Great Northern beans and lima beans don't have any vitamin K to speak of, and the dry versions have 11 mcg and 10.7 mcg, respectively. In the case of navy beans, dry beans have less vitamin K than the canned version, as 1 cup of dry navy beans has only 5.2 mcg compared to the 7.6 mcg in the canned navy beans.
Considerations
Beans are not a strong dietary source of vitamin K. A number of other foods provide a much more significant amount of this vitamin and are probably a better way of obtaining the vitamin in your diet. For instance, 1 cup of chopped broccoli provides 220 mcg of vitamin K and 1 cup of chopped raw kale contains 547 mcg. One cup of raw spinach has 145 mcg, and 1 cup of raw Swiss chard provides 299 mcg.
Member Comments