Vitamin K, like other vitamins, plays an important role in the ways in which the body functions, as well as in natural cures and home remedies. Because the body does not naturally produce vitamins, it is necessary for foods high in vitamin K nutrition to be included as a regular part of the daily diet. Frequently used in natural cures and home remedies, vitamin K has a powerful impact on one’s overall health while, conversely, a vitamin K deficiency can lead to serious illness.
Vitamin K Nutrition Benefits
Natural foods high in vitamin K offer high nutritional value that cannot be found in processed foods. Namely, it makes proteins, which regulate calcium flow through the tissues and it helps calcium find its way to the bones while keeping it out of the arteries, which can cause artherosclerosis. A few other key benefits of vitamin K nutrition include:
- Protection against osteoporosis
- Helps kill intestinal worms
- Assists in healthy bone development and repair
- Prevents certain forms of cancer
- Helps convert glucose to glycogen, which is stored in the liver
Vitamin K Health Benefits
Besides having key nutritional benefits, vitamin K is also supports good health in the following ways:
- Helps regulate excessive menstrual periods
- Assists in the healing of liver problems, such as jaundice
and cirrhosis - Assists in healthy blood clotting
Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency
Vitamin K deficiency is not common in normal populations. However, people who are malnourished tend to suffer from key symptoms associated with vitamin K deficiency, such as:
- Osteoporosis
- Excessive menstrual flow
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Easy skin bruising
- Defective blood clotting
- Bloody urine
- Bloody bowel movements (sometimes presented as black stools)
- Bleeding gums
- Frequent nosebleeds
It should be noted that those who maintain a normal weight can still be considered malnourished, as an improper diet consisting mainly of processed foods holds very little nutritional value. Also, alcoholics and people with digestive diseases may be prone to vitamin K deficiencies.
Vitamin K Food Sources
Vitamin K is found in several key foods, which are easy to access and prepare. A few of the most popular are:
- Whole wheat
- Blackstrap molasses
- Turnip greens
- Kale
- Spinach
- Seafood
- Sea vegetables
- Oats
- Cauliflower
- Animal liver
- Egg yolks
- Asparagus
- Leafy green vegetables
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Sprouts
- Watercress
- Lettuce
- Safflower oil
- Green beans
- Green peas
- Rye
- Soybeans
Specific herbal sources of vitamin K include:
Vitamin K Precaution
Considered non-toxic, those who exceed the recommended dosage instructions for vitamin K supplements may experience numbness and tingling in the fingers and toes. Also, those who are on prescription blood thinners should only attempt to acquire vitamin K nutrition through dietary measures and should never supplement vitamin K through synthetic means. Those who are on herbal blood thinners, such as chamomile, red clover, alfalfa, anise, celery or American ginseng may find that vitamin K reduces the effects of these.
Pregnant women and those who are nursing, should consult a physician before taking vitamin K supplements. However, foods high in vitamin K are considered to be completely safe.
Foods with vitamin K are always the best sources of this key vitamin, as well as other vitamins that help the body perform at its optimal best. Those who are under a doctor’s care for any reason should always consult with their doctor before taking vitamin K supplements. However, unless otherwise specified by a medical professional, foods high in vitamin K nutrition are safe to consume regularly.
