You often hear about the wonders of vitamins A through E, but what about K? Did you know that this vitamin found in leafy greens helps your blood clot and keep your bones healthy, especially as you get older?

With Baby Boomers aging rapidly, nutritionists say, the vitamin may command more center stage as its importance to bone health becomes increasingly clear.

"Not too long ago, it looked like Americans consumed several times the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin K, but improved methods show that the vitamin isn't as abundant in the diet as once thought,” says Sarah Booth, director of the Vitamin K Laboratory at Tufts University’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

In fact, if you're between the ages of 18 and 44, there's a good chance you didn't get enough vitamin K today—or any other day—which may set you up for more bone loss as you grow older. 

Fighting brittle bones

Additionally, scientists believe vitamin K deficiency may play a key role in hardening of the arteries, which ultimately leads to heart attacks and strokes.

The goal for average daily vitamin K intake is 90 micrograms for women and 120 micrograms for men. But only 27 percent of people in the United States consume that amount, warn nutritionists at the federal governments Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Md.

Booth’s team of scientists at Tufts University and Boston University believe vitamin K is so important that they studied the nutrient for its prowess at helping keep osteoporosis—or “brittle bones”—at bay. They found that people with the highest levels of phylloquinone—the main form of vitamin K—enjoyed the lowest risk of having osteoporosis in their hands and knees.

Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that involves the breakdown of cartilage and bones, which leads to pain and stiffness. One in every four women will likely develop osteoporosis. In fact, 10 million American – four times as many women as men – have the debilitating condition.

Most troublesome: another 34 million Americans are at risk of getting osteoporosis because of low bone mass.

From asparagus to tomatoes

So just where can you find Vitamin K? You don’t have to look very far. Find the nutrient in asparagus, beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green peas, lettuce, olives, soy products, spinach, tomatoes, and other veggies.

For instance, phylloquinone is found in some oils, especially soybean oil, and in dark-green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli. One serving of spinach or two servings of broccoli provide four to five times the recommended daily intake of  phylloquinone, according to the federal government’s Agricultural Research Service.

One cup of Swiss chard, a leafy green similar its sibling spinach, supplies more than 700 percent of a woman's daily adequate intake for vitamin K.

Furthermore, cooking does not remove significant amounts of vitamin K from foods. People who eat a balanced diet including these foods are likely ingesting enough vitamin K and do not require supplements.

Cereals also contain vitamin K, and, from the believe-it-or-not category, bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract make one form of the nutrient.

“Vitamin K intake may be a marker of a healthy diet because it is found mainly in green, leafy vegetables and certain plant oils,” says Booth, a scientist with the Agricultural Research Service. “This could explain associations between low vitamin K intake and risk for heart disease.”

Check these out!

•  Nubella’s Recipe Database and Healthy Cooking Center—find plenty of delicious dishes with Vitamin K-rich veggies and other foods.

•  Balanced Eating Blog—keep up with the latest healthy eating tips from Nubella’s registered dietitian Theresa Stahl.

•  Nubella’s Recipe Message Board—share your secrets and get tips on vitamin K-rich creations.

•  Vitamin Basics

•  A Top 10 List for Boning Up

•  Tips on Making Your Cuisine Green

Comments on this article? Send them to MyComments.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.