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.
Since menaquinones make up only 10% of the average diet, nutritional supplements are the best way to get higher Vitamin K levels.
How much is enough? The general guidelines are 120 micrograms for an average male and 90 micrograms for the average female; however, more is always better. More Vitamin K supplementation in higher concentration will help to slow down or stop the progression of osteoporosis or heart disease.
And when choosing supplements, make sure to check for high menaquinone levels. Menaquinones are more challenging to extract and bring to market, so they can be more costly. However, its benefits are very worthwhile, especially if you obtain it as part of a multivitamin that offers an array of other supplements.
Keep these things in mind when looking to get high Vitamin K amounts in your diet. By paying attention to these small details, you will find just like I have that the benefits are well worth the investment.
If you’re interested in learning more about high Vitamin K supplements visit my website, where I share what products I personally use for the best and most effective results
Andrew Pandall is an avid researcher of nutritional products. Take a moment to visit his site now at www.healthysupplementsguide.info to learn more about what types of products he recommends after extensive research.
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