Archive for category Vitamin
The Importance And Benefits Of Vitamin K
Sometimes it can seem like getting all of our nutritional needs covered can be a bit like reciting the alphabet. One letter that people may not be used to hearing on the list is vitamin K. Even if it is not the first vitamin people think of, it is no less vital to your health than the others. So don’t leave it off the list of must-haves.
Vitamin K is important because it helps our body with blood clotting. That’s what makes us stop bleeding and begin to heal after we cut ourselves. People who don’t have enough vitamin K in their systems can be prone to excessive bruising or nose bleeds. They can also run into serious trouble if they’re badly hurt, since they won’t stop bleeding.
Sounds pretty important, doesn’t it? But don’t panic if a close look at the label on your multi-vitamin doesn’t reveal a healthy dose of K. Most of us don’t have any problem getting enough of this vital nutrient from our regular diet.
How to Get Vitamin K
So where do you get your daily dose of vitamin K? We tend to find about half of what we need in leafy, green vegetables. Foods such as spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and asparagus are all good sources. There is also vitamin K found in some vegetable oils, like olive oil, canola oil and soybean oil.
Yogurt and some kinds of cheese are other sources of the vitamin in our diets. And for those who would rather take theirs in liquid form, you can also find it in green tea and (believe it or not) coffee.
Many of us are trying to cut fats out of our diet wherever possible, but some fats are needed. Certain nutrients, including vitamin K, are fat soluble. This means that in order for our bodies to absorb and use them, they must come into contact with some oils. Finally, it’s one reason as to why a bit of fat is good for you!
More Facts
In the rare circumstance where someone is vitamin K deficient, there is a synthetic version of the vitamin which can be taken as a supplement. Most healthy people don’t have to worry about it, but if you seem to be suffering from a lot of bruising or uncontrollable nose bleeds, ask your doctor if you could benefit from an extra helping of vitamin K. Read the rest of this entry »
The Benefits of High Vitamin K Intake
You might disagree, but hear me out on this.
Vitamin K is one of the most essential vitamins that our bodies need. You might say Vitamins C, D, B6 or B12 are important, and while they are, Vitamin K is essential to our bodies functioning. It may not be as well-known as the others, but it plays an important role in blood clotting and in the prevention of heart disease and osteoporosis.
We usually get enough Vitamin K in our diets to survive. What we don’t realize is that our health could be dramatically improved with high Vitamin K concentrations and many ailments could be prevented as well.
How can one get high Vitamin K levels in their diet?
The answer is twofold, since there are two types of Vitamin K. There are phylloquinones (Vitamin K1) and menaquinones (Vitamin K2). In a typical Western diet, phylloquinones make up 90% of Vitamin K consumption, while menaquinones contain 10%.
Ultimately, the body converts Vitamin K1 to K2. So, if you obtain adequate levels of K1 and/or K2, you can be assured you’re getting enough Vitamin K in your diet.
Phylloquinones (K1) are easy to obtain if you are accustomed to eating dark green leafy vegetables on a daily basis. Broccoli and spinach are key vegetables rich in phylloquinone. In fact, a one half cup of spinach contains 510 micrograms of K1, over twice the recommended amount. Eat plenty of greens to obtain high vitamin K concentrations – you won’t regret it.
Menaquinones (K2) are a lot harder to obtain. They are in meat, dairy, and eggs but at lower concentrations. Japanese foods like Natto is made from fermented soybeans, and significant amounts of K2 are produced from the fermentation process.
Studies have shown a 9 percent decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease for every 10 micrograms of menaquinone consumed. This indicates that high vitamin k concentrations can be very beneficial.
Menaquinones has been shown to be a more potent and effective form of Vitamin K. Whereas the body has to convert K1 to K2, it naturally absorbs menaquinones as K2. So making sure you get high vitamin k concentrations in the form of menaquinones is the best bet. Read the rest of this entry »