Nutrition Diet: How to Increase Vitamin K Naturally?

October 17, 2025 •

4 min read

Vitamin K is an essential fat-soluble nutrient, with a deficiency most commonly affecting newborns or those with malabsorption issues. For most adults, learning how to increase vitamin K naturally through a balanced diet is a highly effective and simple strategy to support crucial functions like blood clotting and bone health.

Quick Summary

This article explores the two primary forms of vitamin K, the best dietary sources for each, and practical strategies to maximize absorption. Discover which vegetables, fermented foods, and animal products are top contributors to your daily intake and how to incorporate them into your meals.

Key Points

Eat Your Greens: Incorporate a daily serving of leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens, which are top sources of vitamin K1.
Embrace Fermented Foods: Include foods such as natto, hard cheese, and kefir for excellent sources of vitamin K2.
Add Healthy Fats: Always pair vitamin K-rich foods with a source of fat, like olive oil or avocado, to maximize its fat-soluble absorption.
Choose Smarter Cooking Methods: Opt for steaming, stir-frying, or microwaving to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins in your vegetables.
Variety is Key: Consume a mix of both plant-based (K1) and animal/fermented (K2) sources to support both blood clotting and bone health.

Understanding Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2

Before you begin boosting your intake, it's helpful to know that there are two primary forms of vitamin K, each with different dietary sources.

Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone): The Plant-Powered Form

Vitamin K1, or phylloquinone, is the most common form of vitamin K found in the diet. It is synthesized by plants and is highly concentrated in green, leafy vegetables. Once consumed, K1 is primarily directed towards the liver to support the production of blood-clclotting proteins. While the absorption of K1 from plant sources can be limited, it can be significantly improved by consuming it alongside a healthy fat source.

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone): The Animal and Fermented Form

Vitamin K2, or menaquinone, is found in animal-based and fermented foods. It is also produced by bacteria in the human gut, though the amount synthesized is often not sufficient to meet dietary needs. K2 is known to be more bioavailable and is crucial for regulating calcium distribution in the body, which supports bone mineralization and helps prevent the calcification of arteries. The different forms of K2 (MK-4, MK-7, etc.) have varying properties and sources.

Excellent Food Sources for a Natural Vitamin K Boost

To increase your vitamin K intake naturally, focus on incorporating a diverse range of foods rich in both K1 and K2. A balanced approach ensures you receive the benefits of both forms.

High-Impact Vitamin K1 Foods

Leafy Greens: The undisputed champions of vitamin K1, with options like kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, and Swiss chard offering exceptional amounts per serving. A half-cup of cooked kale, for instance, can provide well over the daily recommended intake.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are excellent sources. A half-cup of boiled Brussels sprouts contains a significant portion of your daily requirement.
Herbs and Spices: Fresh parsley, basil, and dried herbs like thyme and oregano are surprisingly high in vitamin K1.
Vegetable Oils: Oils like soybean and canola are also good sources of K1.

The Best Sources of Vitamin K2

Natto: This traditional Japanese dish of fermented soybeans is the most concentrated food source of vitamin K2 (MK-7) in the world. Just a small serving provides a huge boost.
Cheeses: Aged and hard cheeses, such as Gouda, Camembert, and Munster, contain notable levels of K2 (menaquinones). The fermentation process by bacteria is responsible for its presence.
Meat and Poultry: Animal products like chicken (especially dark meat and wings), beef liver, and egg yolks contain the MK-4 form of vitamin K2.
Fermented Dairy: Products like kefir and some types of yogurt can contain K2, depending on the bacterial cultures used.

Maximizing Vitamin K Absorption with Healthy Fats

Since vitamin K is fat-soluble, its absorption is greatly enhanced when consumed with dietary fat. Simply drizzling olive oil on a spinach salad or adding nuts to a green vegetable stir-fry can make a big difference. This is a simple but powerful strategy to get the most nutritional value from your food.

Comparison of Vitamin K Sources: K1 vs. K2


Feature	Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone)	Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone)
Primary Source	Plant-based foods (e.g., leafy greens)	Fermented foods & animal products
Best Food Examples	Kale, spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard	Natto, aged cheese, eggs, chicken
Main Function	Primarily supports blood clotting in the liver	Regulates calcium distribution for bones and arteries
Absorption	Best when consumed with dietary fat	Generally more bioavailable from food sources
Bioavailability	Lower relative to K2, due to being tightly bound to plant tissues	Higher, particularly longer-chain menaquinones like MK-7

Cooking Methods to Preserve Vitamin K

While cooking can affect nutrient levels, some methods are better than others for preserving vitamin K.

Steaming: This method is superior to boiling, as it avoids leaching water-soluble vitamins and preserves heat-sensitive ones.
Stir-Frying or Sautéing: Using a small amount of healthy fat while cooking quickly can help retain nutrients and improves absorption.
Microwaving: Due to short cooking times and minimal water use, microwaving can be a very effective way to preserve vitamins.
Roasting: This can also be a good method, particularly when using a bit of oil, as long as temperatures are not excessively high or prolonged.

Conclusion: Embracing a Vitamin K-Rich Diet Naturally

By strategically incorporating a variety of K1-rich leafy greens and K2-rich fermented foods and animal products, you can easily increase your vitamin K naturally. Remember to pair your vitamin K sources with healthy fats to maximize absorption. Maintaining sufficient levels of this vital nutrient is a simple yet effective way to support your body's critical functions for blood health and strong bones. To explore more about the benefits of a balanced diet, visit Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Nutrition Source for further nutritional guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Symptoms of a severe vitamin K deficiency can include easy bruising, excessive bleeding from wounds or gums, nosebleeds, and blood in the urine or stools. Mild or subclinical deficiencies may contribute to weaker bones and potential cardiovascular issues over time.

Since vitamin K is fat-soluble, you can maximize absorption by eating vitamin K-rich foods with a healthy source of fat. For example, add avocado or an olive oil-based dressing to your leafy greens.

Gentle cooking methods like steaming or stir-frying can sometimes increase the bioavailability of vitamin K1 by concentrating the nutrients. While raw is also beneficial, pairing with fat and avoiding over-boiling helps preserve the highest content.

Yes, some antibiotics can destroy the vitamin K-producing bacteria in your gut. Prolonged courses of antibiotics, especially coupled with a poor diet, can potentially lead to lower vitamin K status.

Natto is a traditional Japanese dish of fermented soybeans. The fermentation process uses a specific type of bacteria, Bacillus subtilis natto, which produces extremely high levels of vitamin K2, particularly the highly bioavailable MK-7 form.

Yes, the richest source of vitamin K2, natto (fermented soybeans), is vegan. Other fermented products like sauerkraut can also provide some K2, though typically in smaller amounts than natto.

It is extremely rare to consume a toxic amount of vitamin K from food sources alone. However, individuals on blood-thinning medications like warfarin must maintain a consistent vitamin K intake, as sudden changes can interfere with their medication's effectiveness.