Vitamin K: Sources, Benefits & Deficiency – A Comprehensive Guide

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin K is vital because it causes blood to clot. Healthy people who regularly eat a balanced diet typically do not suffer from a vitamin K deficiency. Symptoms of a vitamin K deficiency are nose bleeds, bleeding gums, heavy menstrual bleeding, and anemia. However, patients taking blood thinning medications are required to stop eating vitamin K-rich foods, which could lead to a deficiency in vitamin K.

Kale

• Kale is often served at restaurants as a garnish to dishes.

  A part of the cabbage family, kale is a green or purple loose-leaf vegetable. Kale is served raw or cooked, either by itself or mixed with other ingredients. A common vegetable served in kitchens around the world, the amount of vitamin K in 1 cup (130 g) of boiled kale is equal to 1,062.10 mcg, 1,327.62 percent the recommended daily value, according to The World's Healthiest Foods website.

Spinach

• Baby spinach is an alternative to lettuce for making fresh salads.

  Spinach is a green, leafy vegetable that comes in three varieties: savory, baby and smooth-leaf. All three types are served raw or cooked by steaming, sauteing or boiling. Served fresh, 1 cup (30 g) of spinach leaves has 145 mcg, 181 percent of the recommended daily value. One cup (180 g) of boiled spinach has 1,110.6 percent of the daily value, with 888.48 mcg of vitamin K, according to The World's Healthiest Foods nutrition information chart.

Collard Greens

• Collard greens are served on New Year's Day in Georgia to bring wealth for the new year.

  Collard greens are blue-green leaves characterized by their smooth, broad surface. Most often, collard greens are served cooked, and in the southern United States they are a staple food. One cup of boiled collard greens (190 g) provides 704 mcg of vitamin K, 880 percent of the daily value recommended for a healthy adult, as stated on The World's Healthiest Foods website.