20 Vitamin K Rich Foods to Guarantee Your Daily Dosage

Vitamin K, also known as anti-hemorrhagic vitamin, is actually the blend of vitamins K1, K2 and K3.

While vitamin K2 is produced by our intestinal flora and vitamin K3 is synthesized only in laboratories to make supplements, vitamin K1 is the version found in food.

The anti-hemorrhagic vitamin, as its nickname indicates, is necessary in the process of blood clotting. This means that, in its absence, we may suffer from bleeding and healing difficulties.

In addition, vitamin K helps to fix calcium in bones, so it is very important to prevent cases of osteoporosis, especially during menopause.

Another function of vitamin K is to assist the development of premature babies: in the absence of this vitamin, they may have spontaneous bleeding.

Read also: 5 sources of vitamin D and why it is essential for health

The 20 Most Rich Vitamin K Foods

It is very rare for a person to have vitamin K deficiency, as it is present in many types of foods, especially vegetables.

In general, people who are most at risk for vitamin K deficiency are people who have had bariatric surgery, as this procedure may decrease the absorption of this nutrient.

In addition, as it is a fat-soluble vitamin (that is, it dissolves in fat), patients on drugs that decrease fat absorption may also have their levels of fat reduced.

Check out the list of the 20 richest foods in vitamin K, always considering a portion of 100 grams:

1. Parsley (fresh): 1,640 mcg (1,367%)
2. Natto (Japanese food based on fermented soy): 1,103 mcg (920% of daily dose)
3. Chard (raw): 830 mcg (692% of the daily dose)
4. Cabbage (cooked): 817 mcg (681% of the daily dose)
5. Chestnut mustard (boiled leaves): 593 mcg (494% of daily dose)
6. Beetroot leaves (cooked): 484 mcg (403% of daily dose)
7. Spinach (raw): 483 mcg (402% of daily dose)
8. Cauliflower (cooked, typical of Portugal): 407 mcg (339% of the daily dose)
9. Foie gras: 369 mcg (308% of the daily dose)
10. Soybean Oil: 184 mcg (153% of daily dose)
11. Broccoli (cooked): 141 mcg (117% of daily dose)
12. Brussels Sprouts (cooked): 140 mcg (117% of the daily dose)
13. Cabbage (cooked): 109 mcg (91% of daily dose)
14. Liver Steak: 106 mcg (88% of daily dose)
15. Hard cheese: 87 mcg (72% of daily dose)
16. Jarlsberg Cheese: 80 mcg (66% of daily dose)
17. Pork Chop: 69 mcg (57% of daily dose)
18. Pinion Gear: 54 mcg (45% of the daily dose)
19. Chicken: 60 mcg (50% of daily dose)
20. Prune: 60 mcg (50% of daily dose)

It is interesting to note that some foods that stand out for their vitamin K content may not be the best to guarantee your daily dose.

Read also: Vitamin B12: Know the benefits it can bring to your life

Parsley, for example, is the richest food on the list, but hardly anyone would consume 100 grams? In fact, a pinch weighs less than 1 gram.

If we think in terms of portions, the biggest highlights are kale, chestnut mustard leaves and chard, as one leaf of these foods already guarantees the required daily dose.

The 10 Richest Vitamin K Vegetables

Vegetables are really the champions when it comes to daily vitamin K supply. Check out the following list, sorted by the amount of nutrient in 100 grams:

1. Parsley (fresh): 1,640 mcg (1,367% of the daily dose)
2. Chard (raw): 830 mcg (692% of the daily dose)
3. Cabbage (cooked): 817 mcg (681% of the daily dose)
4. Chestnut mustard (boiled leaves): 593 mcg (494% of daily dose)
5. Beetroot leaves (cooked): 484 mcg (403% of daily dose)
6. Spinach (raw): 482 mcg (402% of daily dose)
7. Cauliflower (cooked, typical of Portugal): 407 mcg (339% of the daily dose)
8. Broccoli (cooked): 141 mcg (117% of daily dose)
9. Brussels Sprouts (cooked): 140 mcg (117% of the daily dose)
10. Cabbage (cooked): 109 mcg (91% of daily dose)

A tip: Just like vitamin K, vitamins A, D and E are also fat soluble. Ingestion of any excess may impair the absorption of the others.

The 10 Richest Vitamin K Meats

If you're not a fan of vegetables, you can still get vitamin K by eating different types of meat. See the list of the best options considering 100 grams of food:

Read also: Vitamin C: An Ally of Beauty and Health as a Whole

1. Foie gras: 369 mcg (308% of the daily dose)
2. Liver Steak: 106 mcg (88% of daily dose)
3. Pork Chop: 69 mcg (57% of daily dose)
4. Chicken: 60 mcg (50% of daily dose)
5. Bacon: 36 mcg (29% of daily dose)
6. Chicken liver: 13 mcg (11% of daily dose)
7. Ground beef: 9.4 mcg (8% of daily dose)
8. Pork liver: 7.8 mcg (7% of daily dose)
9. Bovine Kidney: 5.7 mcg (5% of daily dose)
10. Duck breast: 5.5 mcg (4.9% of the daily dose)

As you can see, most meat is very fatty. Therefore, it is not always a good idea to rely on all vitamin K intake only ingesting these foods.

Top 10 Vitamin K Rich Milk Derivatives and Eggs

Milk products, such as cheese, also provide the body with vitamin K. Below is the list organized by amount of this nutrient in 100 grams:

1. Hard cheese: 87 mcg (72% of daily dose)
2. Jarlsberg Cheese: 80 mcg (66% of daily dose)
3. Soft Cheese: 59 mcg (49% of daily dose)
4. Edam Cheese: 49 mcg (41% of the daily dose)
5. Blue cheese: 36 mcg (30% of daily dose)
6. Egg yolk: 34 mcg (29% of daily dose)
7. Butter: 21 mcg (18% of daily dose)
8. Cheddar Cheese: 13 mcg (11% of daily dose)
9. Cream: 9 mcg (8% of daily dose)
10. Whole milk: 1.3 mcg (1% of daily dose)

Remember that these amounts may vary depending on the region of origin of the product and the diet of the animal.

The 10 Richest Vitamin K Fruits

In general, fruits do not provide as much vitamin K as leafy vegetables, but they can be an option. Check the list always considering a portion of 100 grams of food:

1. Prune: 60 mcg (50% of daily dose)
2. Tomato (dry): 43 mcg (36% of daily dose)
3. Kiwi: 40 mcg (34% of daily dose)
4. Avocado: 21 mcg (18% of daily dose)
5. Blackberry: 20 mcg (17% of daily dose)
6. Blueberry: 19 mcg (16% of daily dose)
7. Pomegranate: 16 mcg (14% of the daily dose)
8. Fig (dry): 16 mcg (14% of daily dose)
9. Grape: 15 mcg (12% of daily dose)
10. Gooseberry: 11 mcg (9% of daily dose)

As with meats and cheeses, it can be difficult to get the amount of vitamin K needed daily just by eating fruits. Even taking the prune, which is the richest food on the list, would need to eat 200 grams every day.

Read also: Vitamin E: Powerful Antioxidant and Beauty's Great Ally

Top 10 Vitamin K Rich Vegetables, Seeds and Nuts

Veggies, seeds and nuts also don't compare to leafy vegetables when it comes to vitamin K. Here's a list of the richest foods for a 100-gram serving:

1. Pinion Gear: 54 mcg (45% of the daily dose)
2. Pod (cooked): 48 mcg (40% of daily dose)
3. Cashew nuts: 34 mcg (28% of daily dose)
4. Soya Beans (cooked): 33 mcg (27.9% of the daily dose)
5. Pea (cooked): 26 mcg (22% of daily dose)
6. Mung Bean Sprout (cooked): 23 mcg (19% of daily dose)
7. Hazelnut: 14 mcg (12% of the daily dose)
8. Horse Beans: 8.4 mcg (7% of daily dose)
9. Pecan nuts: 3.5 mcg (3% of daily dose)
10. Nuts: 2.7 mcg (2% of daily dose)

A tip to boost the absorption of vitamin K is to consume the foods rich in this nutrient (such as kale and chestnut mustard leaves) with some olive oil.

Because it is fat soluble, vitamin K is best absorbed when consumed with a fat. Is that why we Brazilians are so fond of combining kale with feijoada? In fact, food options to ensure your daily dose are not lacking, right?

What Is Vitamin K? | Vitamins (April 2024)