Kirsty's Vitality

Benefits of Vitamin K

Another of the fat soluble vitamins, vitamin K has earned the name of 'the anti haemorrhagic vitamin’ due to the effect it has on blood clotting - one of many essential nutrients, you need to ensure that you get enough vitamin K foods in your healthy diet, so that you can get all of the benefits that vitamin K has to offer.

So what are the benefits of vitamin K?

While the main benefit of vitamin K is to control blood clotting, it also has many other important uses which make it an essential part of a healthy diet. Vitamin K helps our bodies to form and repair our bones; it is also important for intestinal health, and promotes healthy liver function by turning glucose into glycogen, which is then stored in the liver.

Vitamin K foods

While there are some vitamin K foods you can include in your healthy diet, this particular vitamin is largely provided by internal processes. The good bacteria in our guts synthesises vitamin K, but some vitamin K foods that are worth popping in your shopping basket are:

- Cauliflower
- Dark green leafy vegetables
- Soy beans
- Oats and oatmeal
- Alfalfa
- Green tea
- Nettles

What happens if I don't get enough vitamin K?

People who are deficient in vitamin K may suffer from internal or abnormal bleeding  It’s very important for people taking a long term course of antibiotics to supplement their diets with additional vitamin K, because antibiotics kill the friendly bacteria that are so crucial for the synthesis of this vitamin. By following a healthy diet and getting a good balance of vitamin K foods and other essential nutrients, you will enjoy an improved sense of wellbeing - the benefits of vitamin K are just as important as any other vitamin or mineral.