Vitamin K – phylloquinone – rich foods
Vitamin K is a group of structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins that are needed to modify certain proteins required for blood coagulation and in metabolic pathways in bone and other tissue.
This group of vitamins includes two natural vitamins: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2.
Vitamin K1, phylloquinone or phytomenadione (also called phytonadione), is synthesized by plants and is found in the highest amounts in green leafy vegetables because it is directly involved in photosynthesis. Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is poorly absorbed and seems less important. More on vitamin K here.
The recommended daily intake is 120 micrograms for adult males and 90 micrograms for adult (including pregnant or lactating) females. No tolerable upper intake level (UL) has been set.
Below is a list of foods having the highest content of vitamin K (phylloquinone) in micrograms (μg) per 100 grams of the food. The list also includes the number of kilocalories (kcal) and the vitamin K content in micrograms (μg) per kcal, and the list is sorted with respect to the latter with the highest values at the top.
As you can see there are many foods having a high vitamin K content per kcal. So if you are lacking in this vitamin, you could easily correct the deficiency by eating some of these foods.
The list is made using ECstep’s Personal Nutrition Data Program and includes more than 100 of the vitamin K richest foods. Commercial brand products are not included in this list.