Try explaining the science behind ingesting Vitamin K to a small child and you’ll get an unwavering and sometimes weeping opponent. That’s because the source of Vitamin K happens to be dark, leafy vegetables—a child’s most fervent enemy. But with increasing research, the benefits of the vitamin cannot be ignored, even by toddlers in the throes of tantrums. Because, not only is Vitamin K essential to the clotting of blood, but new studies show that it activates at least three proteins involved in bone health. And the bad news? Recent surveys show that young Americans are consuming less and less sources of this essential nutrient.
The Food and Nutrition Board—which sets the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and nutrients—has long suggested that an adult male intake around 80 mg of Vitamin K per day; an adult female should intake 65 mg. Children are encouraged to ingest about 30 mg a day. Not only are fewer Americans abiding by these suggestions, but the levels of RDA for Vitamin K may be outdated, since research concerning its bone rejuvenating properties is rather new and still developing.
Fortunately, green, leafy vegetables are not the only source of Vitamin K. The bacteria that line your intestinal tract are also responsible for producing Vitamin K. So, by digesting cheese or yogurt—the bacteria require cultured milk to produce Vitamin K—you are, in fact, helping your body manufacture the vitamin. Other sources of Vitamin K include: liver, soybean products, bacon, coffee, and tea. Although soybean based oils are a good source of the vitamin, most of the oils in America have been hydrogenated—meaning that hydrogen has been added. Hydrogenated Vitamin K is only half as effective in aiding blood clotting and completely inactive in triggering the proteins that renew bone structure.
The presence of hydrogenated oils throws the RDA of Vitamin K out of kilter, since people may be receiving the recommended amount of the vitamin, but processed in a way that reduces its effectiveness. Therefore, it is important that people still rely on broccoli or spinach or cauliflower as their main source of Vitamin K (a couple large sized sprigs of broccoli contain about 5 times the RDA for this crucial vitamin). The other good news is that Vitamin K is fat soluble—which means your body is able to store it over periods of time. Humans store Vitamin K in the liver, where the clotting of blood is controlled. It is possible, however, to have a Vitamin K deficiency, whereby a person is unable to absorb the vitamin. The common symptoms of this deficiency include a propensity toward bleeding and bruising.
With all the new and old research on the benefits of consuming this vitamin, parents should return to the dinner table with steely resolve, bent on instructing their young as to the merits of spinach, of cauliflower, and of broccoli—those poor and most misunderstood of all foods. Parents, remember not to gloat. And kids, bon appetite (pun most certainly intended).
By Jean-Pierre Lacrampe