How to Get Vitamin K

Vitamin K plays important roles in many of the organs and processes of the body, including blood clotting, bone metabolism, and vascular health. Having a deficiency is rare because beneficial bacteria in our intestines make vitamin K, but it is possible. The recommended daily requirement for healthy adults is 100 – 200 mcg/day — luckily, it is easy for most people to meet this requirement.

Eat leafy greens. Leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamin K. Some greens that contain large amounts of vitamin K are kale, mustard greens, collard greens, and spinach.

·         You don’t need to eat very much of these greens to get your vitamin K. An average serving of green vegetables has about 600% of your recommended daily intake.

·         For most leafy greens, 1 cup raw greens (1/2 cup cooked) is considered a serving.

·         You can get vitamin K from greens whether they’re cooked or raw; however, some nutritionists believe that raw greens deliver the most nutrients.

Get vitamin K from herbs. You can get vitamin K from fresh or dried herbs. You’ll need to eat more than you might usually if you’re trying to get a lot of vitamin K in your diet. Some of the best sources are basil, thyme, sage and parsley.

·         For most herbs, you’ll need to eat between 1 and 2 tablespoons of the dried herb to get your recommended daily intake.

·         You can make recipes that use lots of a specific herb to up your intake. For example, you can make pesto with basil or tabouleh with parsley.

Eat scallions. Scallions, also known as spring onions, are another great source of vitamin K. They can be eaten raw or cooked and are great in a variety of dishes.

·         Scallions are inexpensive and can be found in your local grocery store.

·         You can eat both the green and the white parts of scallions.