Vitamin K: what it does & best food sources
What it does — EU-authorised health claims
Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting.
Vitamin K contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
Wording as authorised in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 EUR-LexEU Commission
How much do adults need?
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 120 µg | 90 µg |
| 31–50 | 120 µg | 90 µg |
| 51–70 | 120 µg | 90 µg |
| 71+ | 120 µg | 90 µg |
- US Recommended Dietary Allowance / Adequate Intake (US National Academies), as published by NIH ODS — see the table above. NIH ODS
- US label FDA Daily Value: 120 µg. On a US food label, 5 % DV or less per serving is low and 20 % or more is high. FDA
- EU label EU Nutrient Reference Value: 75 µg. EUR-Lex
Best food sources (per portion)
| Food | Portion | Vitamin K | % US DV | % EU NRV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kale | 100 g | 1139 µg | 949 % | 1519 % |
 Spinach | 100 g | 456 µg | 380 % | 608 % |
 Broccoli | 150 g | 281 µg | 234 % | 374 % |
 Brussels sprouts | 120 g | 223 µg | 186 % | 298 % |
 Asparagus | 150 g | 156 µg | 130 % | 208 % |
 Romaine lettuce | 80 g | 82.4 µg | 69 % | 110 % |
 Chickpeas, canned, drained | 120 g | 80.4 µg | 67 % | 107 % |
 Lentils, boiled | 150 g | 66 µg | 55 % | 88 % |
 Lamb's lettuce | 50 g | 58 µg | 48 % | 77 % |
 Leek | 100 g | 54 µg | 45 % | 72 % |
 Green beans | 150 g | 54 µg | 45 % | 72 % |
 Courgette (zucchini) | 150 g | 48 µg | 40 % | 64 % |
 Rocket (arugula) | 30 g | 38.7 µg | 32 % | 52 % |
 Cucumber | 100 g | 32 µg | 27 % | 43 % |
 Cauliflower | 150 g | 31.5 µg | 26 % | 42 % |
Per normal portion. Values from BLS 4.0. % US DV = share of the FDA Daily Value. % EU NRV = share of the EU Nutrient Reference Value.
Sources
- Vitamin K — fact sheet for health professionals — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels — US Food and Drug Administration
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information (Annex XIII: Nutrient Reference Values; Art. 7(3)) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — list of permitted health claims (consolidated) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods — European Commission
- Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0 — German Nutrient Database — Max Rubner-Institut