Growing up with Popeye seemed like a cheap tactic to get kids to eat their vegetables. Well, he was right.
Vitamin K, a main nutrient in spinach, helps to clot blood normally, protect bones from fractures, prevent bone loss, calcification of arteries and provides protection against liver and prostate cancer.
It is rare to have a vitamin K deficiency, since not only is it found in leafy greens, it’s also found in the bacteria in your intestines. Because antibiotics can kill the bacteria in the intestines, it can lead to mild deficiency.
In several countries, including Canada, all newborns receive vitamin K injections to prevent the chances of hemorrhage. Babies are born without any bacteria in their intestines and don’t get enough vitamin K from breast milk. The more green vegetables mom takes in the more likely she is to add vitamin K to her breast milk.
Just a little side note. For those who suffer from “morning sickness,” in some cases it’s suggested that vitamin K can reduce the symptoms.
So although most people don’t need to add vitamin K through supplementation, it is a vital vitamin for over all health and well-being.