Excellent Source of Vitamin K
One cup of raw kale contains nearly 7 times the amount of vitamin K recommended for daily consumption. Vitamin K is a nutrient that plays many vital roles in the body, particularly in blood clotting. Vitamins K1 and K2 are the varieties of vitamin K. Vitamin K1 functions in maintaining the clotting mechanism of the blood by helping certain proteins in the blood bind to calcium. Vitamin K2 helps in activating proteins necessary for normal body function. Vitamin K2 is responsible for the activation of up to 17 proteins, including osteocalcin and Matrix gla protein (MGA). These proteins play key roles in cardiovascular function and bone health [5]. Kale is abundant in vitamin K1, not vitamin K2. The coagulating ability of the vitamin K in this vegetable is strong. Warfarin, a popular drug used to reduce coagulation, functions by blocking the activity of vitamin K.