How much do you know about vitamin K? Are you aware of all its effects on the human body? Do you know which foods you can find it in? Perhaps you’re more familiar with other, more “famous” kinds of vitamins – but there is much to learn about vitamin K! Recent years have given us exciting discoveries about vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinone).
Vitamin K plays a fundamental role in cardiovascular and bone health. On top of eating foods which are rich in the vitamin, you can help yourself to an extra boost in supplement form. You might try, for example, liposomal vitamin products, supplements which help you get all the vitamins you need at once.
Key Ideas
- Vitamin K belongs to the liposoluble group of vitamins. There are two natural forms of vitamin K: phylloquinone (K1) and menaquinone (K2). They are known primarily for their role in blood clotting, but also have positive effects on bone health.
- Vitamin K deficiencies do not occur often, but can be caused by bariatric (weight loss) surgery, taking medications which block fat absorption, or illnesses which alter how your intestines absorb the vitamin.
- On top of foods with high vitamin K content, you can rely on supplements sold in liquid form (or other forms). Liposomal multivitamins in drop form, for example, come especially highly recommended because they improve absorption.
Which Foods Are High in Vitamin K?
Speaking generally, most people know very little about vitamin K. It is naturally present in many different foods, from green leafy vegetables to fruits, vegetable oils, soybeans, and more. The vitamin is also present in cheese, eggs, fermented foods, and some types of meat. Keep reading, and we’ll provide more detailed data to answer this question (1).
| Vitamin K1 | Vitamin K2 |
| Boiled spinach | Natto (fermented soybeans) |
| Cooked broccoli | Hard cheeses (Gouda) |
| Cabbage and coleslaw | Soft cheeses (blue cheese) |
| Cooked asparagus | Egg yolks |
| Soybean oil | Lard |
| Red or green grapes | Chicken liver |
| Plums | Salami |
| Beans | Chicken breast |
| Yogurt | Ground beef |
| Mayonnaise | Sauerkraut |
| Margarine | Fermented milk |
Natto
Natto is a delicacy rich in probiotics (beneficial microorganisms). This product comes from the fermentation of soybeans and contains high amounts of vitamin K2 (menaquinone).
Collard Greens
Collard greens have a high vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) content. Plus, they’re a great source of fibre and minerals like iron and calcium.
Turnip Greens
Turnip greens contain beneficial vegetable nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties. They are also rich in vitamin K1.
Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in both vitamin K1 and vitamin C. Its nutrients help keep our eyes, bones, heart, and skin healthy.
Soy
Whereas natto (fermented soybeans) is very rich in vitamin K2, non-fermented soy is a source of vitamin K1. Plus, it’s an important source of protein and helps regulate our cholesterol levels.
Carrot Juice
Just one glass of carrot juice gives you the full dose of vitamin K1 you need per day. It also helps out your immune system and your skin.
Edamame
This delicious appetizer is a good source of protein and fibre. On top of vitamin K1, it’s rich in antioxidants and could help regulate your cholesterol levels.
Squash
Squashes and pumpkins have high concentrations of fibre, vitamin A, and vitamin C, which contributes to heart health and keeps the immune system running normally.
Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranates are high in vitamin K1 and antioxidants which do away with free radicals. In juice form, it can help you keep your heart healthy – just make sure your drink doesn’t contain added sugars.
What You Need to Know About Foods with Vitamin K
Though vitamin K deficiency may be rare, ingesting less than ideal amounts can harm your health over time. For this reason, experts recommend you make sure to get as much vitamin K as your body needs. A daily dose of 90-120 micrograms (mcg) should prevent deficiencies in healthy adults (2, 3).
How Can I Get Enough Vitamin K While Eating Healthily?
The richest sources of vitamin K1 are dark green leafy vegetables. For example, just half a cup of kale gives you around 443% of your daily recommended intake. To make the most of the vitamin K in vegetables, it helps to eat them with some sort of fat or oil (vitamin K is fat-soluble and will be better absorbed this way).
Vitamin K2 is found almost exclusively in animal products and specific fermented foods. For example, natto, a Japanese dish, is one of the best sources of vitamin K2 out there. Other important sources include meat, liver, and cheese.
What’s the Difference Between Vitamin K1 and K2?
Under the umbrella of “vitamin K”, we find a whole group of substances crucial to our wellbeing. Among them are the subtypes K1 and K2, which play essential roles in protein production, blood clotting, and calcium balance. Let’s show you the differences between them (4):
| Functions | Sources | |
| Vitamin K1 |
| Green leafy vegetables and other vegetable compounds. |
| Vitamin K2 |
| Butter, egg yolks, pork lard, and other animal products or fermented foods. |
Vitamin K Supplements: What Are My Options?
In the face of a severe vitamin K deficiency, we can rely on vitamin supplements which do exactly that – supplement our intake. These products have specific instructions, and you shouldn’t take them without asking your doctor. You’ll find many commercial brands of vitamin K1 or K2 dietary supplements on the market.
One option which comes highly recommended are liposomal multivitamin solutions. These come in liquid solution form as drops and bring a slew of advantages, making them ideal for responsible consumption. If your health requires that extra boost of vitamin K, we encourage you to give them a try. Let’s review their benefits:
- This type of liposomal multivitamin contains vitamins A, D3, E, K2, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12 and C. It also contains biotin, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), inositol, and choline bitartrate. These are all necessary nutrients for our bodies to function normally.
- This vitamin K supplement contains the highest-quality ingredients and is gluten-free, sugar-free, and GMO-free.
- Because of its liposomal form, the bioavailability of the vitamin K increases substantially. This effectiveness is enhanced by the structure of the liposome – a covering with a composition similar to our own cell membranes, which improves how our bodies absorb the vitamin K.
- This liposomal supplement allows the body to absorb both water-soluble active ingredients and fat-soluble active ingredients, which makes it perfect for a multivitamin.
Our Conclusions
Vitamin K is one of many nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy. Among other benefits, it’s crucial to blood clotting, cardiovascular function, and bone health. Though vitamin K deficiencies may not be common, they may still occur due to illnesses which change how our intestines absorb the vitamin.
We can find abundant sources of vitamin K in dark green leafy vegetables, in certain fermented foods, and in meat, to name a few. Vitamin K supplements, such as liposomal multivitamins, have also proven highly useful at giving us the daily recommended dose. Their liposomal structure improves how the nutrient is protected, transported, and absorbed.
Would you like to learn more about vitamin K and liposomal multivitamin supplements? Visit our website or leave us a comment. Take the plunge and start caring for your body – give supplements a try. And if you found this article interesting, feel free to share it on social media!
