Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, also known as a clotting vitamin, as it plays a key role in blood clotting and preventing bleeding .
Vitamin K helps make various proteins needed for blood clotting and bone building. Prothrombin is a protein based on vitamin K that is directly involved in blood clotting. Osteocalcin is another protein that requires vitamin K to produce healthy bone tissue.
Types of vitamin K
There are three types of vitamin K:
Vitamin K1: Called phylloquinone, it occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables, especially green vegetables.
Vitamin K2: It is called menaquinone, which is found in fermented foods such as fermented soybeans and foods of animal origin, such as meat, eggs, and cheese.
Vitamin K3: Called menadione, it is an unnatural type of vitamin K, and it is not intended for human use
Benefits of vitamin K for the body
1 Essential for blood clotting, which is essential to stop bleeding when wounds are injured, it is essential for the formation of prothromin in the liver.
2 It plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of bone health.
3 Essential for heart health.
Benefits of vitamin K for the skin
This vitamin is essential for blood clotting and may also help the skin look younger. In dermatology and venereology, vitamin K is thought to also help delay signs of aging, reduce skin damage, and make skin appear younger and healthier.
Vitamin K reduces the risk of bruising
Studies show that vitamin K cream helps the skin heal faster after laser treatments that are used to erase spider veins in the face
Helps bruise fade faster
Vitamin K increases skin elasticity
1 In patients with a genetic disease that leads to severe wrinkles on the face and body, researchers found that the protein acid carboxiglutamic prevents calcification of skin tissue that leads to wrinkles.
2 Vitamin K has a huge role in activating this protein.
3 The study proved the ability of this vitamin to maintain skin elasticity.
Vitamin K reduces dark circles around the eyes
1 In a study, a number of volunteers used a gel containing vitamin K in the amount of 2% with amounts of retinol, and vitamins (A and C).
2 The results showed a reduction in dark circles. For more: The most important vitamins that the body needs and their sources
3 Some also showed a reduction in wrinkles.
Vitamin K to fight wrinkles
1 Some studies suggest that vitamin K deficiency is linked to wrinkle formation .
2 The presence of vitamin K prevents vascular calcification or atherosclerosis. Read more: What are the benefits of vitamin E for face and skin?
3 Prevents calcification of elastin, the protein in the skin responsible for its elasticity
4 In a study conducted linked the occurrence of excessive wrinkles in the skin as a result of low bone mass, suggesting a possible link between skin elasticity and calcium distribution, vitamin K is one of the vitamins that help bone absorption of calcium.
Vitamin K for babies
Some infants who have not received enough vitamin K during pregnancy, their blood will lose the ability to clot and heal wounds, leading to serious complications after birth, so these babies are injected after birth with this vitamin to prevent bleeding.
Sources of vitamin K in food
The sources of vitamin K are many and varied, and it is possible to find plant and animal sources as well, learn about them in the following:
Green leafy vegetables
Leafy vegetables are very rich in vitamin K, most notably the following vegetables:
Cabbage: Each 100 grams of raw cabbage contains 389.6 micrograms.
Spinach: Each 100 grams of spinach contains 482.9 micrograms of this vitamin.
Soy oil and canola oil
One of the sources of vitamin K is soy oil and canola oil, as:
A tablespoon of soy oil contains about 25 micrograms of vitamin K.
A tablespoon of canola oil contains 10 mcg.
Fermented soybeans
Fermented or boiled soybeans called natto are sources of vitamin K, it is worth noting that each 100 grams of natto contains 23.1 micrograms of vitamin K.
Boiled eggs
Eggs, especially boiled eggs, are rich in vitamin K, as one large and boiled egg contains 0.15 micrograms of vitamin K.
Beef liver
There are many sources of vitamin K, which also include those animal sources such as beef liver, as each 100 grams of cooked beef liver contains 3.3 micrograms of vitamin K
Avocado
Avocado is a green vegetable rich in vitamin K and is an ideal choice for vegetarians, as each 100 grams of avocado contains 21 micrograms of vitamin K
Fresh parsley
Many people do not include parsley in their diet, but it contains many important nutrients, including vitamin K.
It is worth noting that each 100 g of parsley contains 1640 micrograms of this vitamin.
Blue Cheese
Did you know that blue cheese is a source of vitamin K? Each 100 grams of blue cheese contains 2.4 micrograms of vitamin K.
Nuts
Some types of nuts contain different levels of vitamin K, the most important of which are:
Pine: Each 100 g of contains 53.9 μg of the vitamin.
Cashews: Each 100 grams of it contains 34.7 micrograms of vitamin K.
Read more about benefits of vitamin b12 .