Researchers looked at over 50,000 people taking part in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health study (Vitamin K Intake and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in the Danish Diet Cancer and Health Study | Journal of the American Heart Association (ahajournals.org) over a 23 year period and found that those with higher intakes of vitamin K had a lower risk for heart disease.
There are two types of vitamin K found in foods. Vitamin K1 comes from green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils. Vitamin K2 is found in meat, eggs, and fermented foods such as cheese. Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and helps to promote healthy bones. Emerging research is connecting it to heart health as well.
In the study, those who eat the most vitamin K1 (vegetable sources) had the lowest risk for heart disease, followed by those who got most of their vitamin K sources as K2.
Heart disease remains a leading cause of death, so further research into the connection between vitamin K and lowering the risk for heart disease is warranted. In the meantime, keep eating green leafy vegetables.
