In this section we provide you with our lists of vitamin K foods, and we divide them into K1 and K2 for ease of reference.  Amounts are in micrograms (µg) per 100 g (3.5 oz).

Sources of vitamin K1

• Asparagus, cooked – 50.6 µg
• Avocado – 21 µg
• Basil, dried – 1714.5 µg
• Blackberries – 20 µg
• Blueberries – 19 µg
• Broccoli – 141 µg
• Brussel Sprouts, cooked – 140.3 µg
• Cabbage, white – 108.7 µg
• Cabbage, red – 47.6 µg
• Cashews, dry roasted – 35 µg
• Cauliflower – 13.8 µg
• Celery – 29 µg
• Chili powder – 105.7 µg
• Chinese Broccoli – 84.8 µg
• Cloves, ground – 142 µg
• Cucumber, pickled – 76.7 µg
• Garden cress – 541.9 µg
• Kale, cooked – 817µg
• Leeks, cooked – 25.4 µg
• Lettuce – 102.5 µg
• Mustard greens – 257.5 µg
• Okra – 40 µg
• Olive oil – 60.2 µg
• Parsley, fresh – 1640 µg
• Prunes, dried – 59.5 µg
• Sage, dried – 1714.5 µg
• Soybeans, cooked – 70.6 µg
• Spinach – 493 µg
• Spirulina seaweed – 25.5 µg
• Spring Onions (Scallions) – 207 µg
• Swiss Chard – 327.3 µg
• Sundried tomatoes – 43 µg
• Thyme, dried – 1714.5 µg
• Turnip greens – 367.6 µg
• Watercress– 250 µg

Vitamin K2 foods

K2 is the main storage form in animals, therefore it isn’t surprising that it is found in meats and dairy products. Here are some notable examples:

• Pepperoni 41.7 µg
  
• Cream cheese – 19.7 µg
  
• Cheese, processed – 14.1 µg
  
• Chicken drumsticks – 35.7 µg
  
• Chicken breast- 14.7 µg
• Dairy products – Notably Feta Cheese
• Eggs
• Ham, lean – 9.6 µg
• Natto, fermented soybeans – 23.1 µg

Vitamin K benefits

Now we will look at the reasons why this nutrient is so vital to your well-being and why it is important to eat vitamin K foods. K1 is stored in the liver and vitamin K2 goes into the blood vessels, bones and other tissues. Therefore you can see why both are important for good health. The main benefits of vitamin K are as follows:

• Vital to the activity of 4 of the proteins required for blood clotting
• Helps the regulation of calcium, keeping it in the bones and out of the arteries
• Essential for building strong bones, and thus helps against osteoporosis
• Helps protect against cardiovascular blockages and thus prevent heart disease

You can see that these are all good reasons to make sure you are getting enough of this important nutrient in your diet.

Vitamin K deficiency is very uncommon in healthy adults. It is more likely to occur in newborn babies, because their bodies are not yet able to produce the necessary amount of vitamin K.

Adults that are most at risk of a deficiency are those with a disease that affects absorption in the digestive tract, such as Crohn’s or coeliac disease, have liver or bowel problems, drink alcohol heavily, are severely malnourished or have cystic fibrosis. IF you do not eat any of the vitamin K foods listed above you may also be at risk.

If you are concerned that you may be suffering from a vitamin K deficiency, the most common symptoms (though these can also be due to other conditions) are listed below:

• Anaemia
• Bleeding gums
• Easy bruising
• Slow blood clotting
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Nose Bleeds
• Blood in the urine

As you will see in the above list of vitamin K deficiency symptoms, many of these are forms of bleeding. This is unsurprising, given this vitamin’s association with blood clotting proteins. Eating foods with vitamin K is one way to help prevent this from happening.

Vitamin K and blood thinning drugs

Finally, it is important to note that some prescription and over-the-counter drugs can interfere with your absorption of vitamin K. These include antacids, antibiotics, aspirin; and drugs for cancer, seizures, high cholesterol, and some other conditions. You should also note that high levels of vitamin K should be avoided if you are taking certain drugs, notably those that thin the blood. If you are concerned you should speak to your doctor or other healthcare professional.