Food sources of phylloquinone

The major dietary source of vitamin K, the form found in green plants, is generally called vitamin K1 but it is preferably called phylloquinone. It was discovered in higher plants nearly 75 years ago by Henrik Dam but was recognized only a little over a decade ago as an electron carrier between the primary acceptor and inter-polypeptide iron-sulfur center FeS-X in photosystem.

Green leafy vegetables especially spinach (380 ug/100 g), cabbage (145 ug/100 g), broccoli (180 ug/100 g) and Brussels sprouts (177 ug/100 g) supply substantial amounts of phylloquinone.

Certain vegetables oils (soybean, cotton seed, canola and olive) also are good sources. The phylloquinone content of oils varies considerably, with soybean oil (190 ug/100 g) and canola oil (130 ug/100 g) quite high and corn oil (3 ug/100 g) a very poor source.

Exposure to light degrades vitamin K, so the phylloquinone content of oils varies not only with brand and batch but also with storage time if the oil are bottled in transparent container. Therefore, vegetable oils may not be a reliable source of vitamin K.

Phylloquinone was reported in green, brown and read algae and also in the blue-green alga Nostoc. In the brown, red and blue-green algae there was more phylloquinone present compared with plastoquinone than there was in the higher plants. In fruit and in petals phylloquinone was present in detectable quantities.
Food sources of phylloquinone

Food sources of vitamin K

Vitamin K is part of a family of chemical, all fat-soluble naphthoquinones. They are including phylloquinone (K1), menaquinones (K2) and menadione (K3).

The first is vitamin K1 (phylloquinone or phytonadione), which comes from plants and makes up human dietary vitamin K. Phylloquinone is the predominant dietary form of vitamin K and is present in foods of plant origin.

These include green leafy as the major quantitative source and contribute approximately 60% of total phylloquinone.

Certain plant oils and margarine, spreads and salad dressings derived from these plant oils are also important dietary sources of phylloquinone.

The second is vitamin K2 (menaquinones), which is produced by bacteria present in the large intestine. It is found in butter, cow liver, chicken, egg yolks, fermented soybean products, and some cheese.

The fats of grass-fed animals are especially good sources of vitamin K2. For vegetarians who would shun animal fats, natto, the Japanese fermented food, is a good source of vitamin K2.

Third, there is vitamin K3 (menadione), is neither found naturally in food nor made by intestine bacteria. It is synthetic, man-made substance.
Food sources of vitamin K