Featured Post from University of Delaware

The Importance of Vitamin K for a Healthy Diet

Jul 27, 2023

2 min

Sharon Collison


Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in blood clotting and in bone metabolism. Sharon Collison, a registered dietitian and instructor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Delaware, has over 30 years of experience looking at nutrition, diets and diet culture. She has studied the affects of vitamin K and the impact it can have on one's overall health. 


She notes that vitamin K decreases bone turnover, protecting against fractures. Vitamin K is unique in that bacteria in the GI tract can synthesize vitamin K that can contribute to the body’s needs. People generally get about ½ their vitamin K from synthesis in the GI tract and ½ from food sources.


Here are some foods that Collison said are not only good sources of vitamin K, but are nutritional powerhouse foods that are nutrient dense.


Broccoli Raab: 241 mcg/100 grams of vitamin K. Also high in dietary fiber, potassium and vitamin C. 


Artichokes: 14.8 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium. 


Broccoli: 102 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also high in vitamin C, beta carotene, dietary fiber, potassium, iron and phytonutrients — which has great cancer fighting properties.


Spinach: Chopped frozen boiled spinach has 543 mcg/100 grams of vitamin K, making it one of the best sources. Also high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, vitamin A and magnesium. 


Green leaf lettuce: 126 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also a good source of vitamin A and potassium, folate and very low in calories. 


Canola oil: 10 mcg/1 Tbsp vitamin K. Also a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E.


Canned tuna in oil: 37 mcg/3 ounces vitamin K. Also rich in protein and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. 


Eggs: Vitamin K content varies between 67-192 mcg per egg yolk depending on the hen’s diet. Also an excellent source of protein. 


Arugula: 21 mcg/1 cup vitamin K. Also good source of potassium, vitamin C, folate, vitamin A and calcium. 


Collison is affiliated with the National Alliance on Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention. She has been a board-certified sports dietitian since 2008, providing sports nutrition guidance to middle-school, high-school, collegiate, elite and amateur athletes.

Connect with:
Sharon Collison

Sharon Collison

Clinical Instructor, Health Behavior and Nutrition Science

Sharon Collison provides medical nutrition therapy (MNT) in University of Delaware's Nutrition Clinic.

Weight/Health at Every SizeWeight ManagementSports NutritionHealthy AgingEating Disorders

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Delaware

1 min

Spring break could compound West Texas measles outbreak

Most Texas schools go on spring break this week, which could be a major issue compounding the ongoing measles outbreak in West Texas, said Jennifer Horney, an epidemiologist at the University of Delaware. The outbreak, which has grown to more than 200 cases and claimed the life of a child last week, is likely to continue to grow as new cases are identified in both surrounding communities as well as other states, Horney said. Horney, founding director of UD's epidemiology program, can also comment on vaccination of measles, which is one of the most highly contagious infectious diseases. • Through maintenance of vaccination coverage of greater than 90%, the U.S. was able to gain eradication status in 2000. • Although there have been sporadic cases, and even outbreaks, since then, worsening vaccine hesitancy has led to vaccination rates in some communities of 80% or lower. • According to data, of 20 outbreaks involving three or more cases reported in the last five years, 40% were in 2024. With outbreaks currently in at least nine states in the U.S., 2025 looks to be a very bad year for measles infections. Visit Horney's profile below and click on "contact" to arrange an interview.

1 min

Empowering young minds: Digital platform providing educational resources for children impacted by Russo-Ukrainian War

Digital platforms have emerged as powerful tools for people impacted by the Russo-Ukrainian War. One professor at the University of Delaware has, for over two years, provided reading resources specifically for the children whose lives have been forever changed by this conflict.  Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, the Unidel H. Rodney Sharp Chair and Professor at UD's College of Education and Human Development, has developed a website with free interactive e-books, games and other resources to Ukrainian children. A nationally known expert in childhood literacy, Golinkoff worked together with developers to stock the site, Stories with Clever Hedgehog, with materials in both Ukrainian and English. The multilingual platforms allows displaced families all over the world to engage in shared reading with their children, facilitate early literacy development and promote well-being during a time of stress. In addition to enhancing learning experiences, digital platforms provide an essential sense of community and connectivity for students isolated by conflict. Golinkoff, who has appeared in numerous national outlets including NPR, ABC News and The Conversation, is available for interviews on the site as well as literacy in general. Just click her profile to get in touch.

1 min

Exploring the ripple effect: How teachers' emotions impact student engagement and learning outcomes

The classroom environment is a dynamic ecosystem where the emotional state of educators can significantly influence students' engagement and learning outcomes.  In a new article published in Contemporary Educational Psychology, University of Delaware Associate Research Professor Leigh McLean offers a new tool—the Teacher Affect Coding System—for measuring teachers’ emotional expressions and studying how these expressions affect their students’ attitudes toward learning. With co-author Nathan Jones of Boston University, McLean uses this tool to gather new data showing emotional transmission between teachers and their students in fourth-grade classrooms. In the study, McLean and Jones, found that teachers displayed far more positive emotions than negative ones. But they also found that some teachers—about 10%—displayed notable amounts of negative emotions, with some showing negativity during as much as 80% of their instructional time. The students of these teachers reported reduced enjoyment and engagement in their ELA classes and reduced engagement in their math classes. Given the findings of their study, McLean and Jones make several recommendations for teacher preparation and professional learning programs. As a first step, they recommend that teacher preparation and professional learning programs share information about how negative emotions and experiences are a normal part of the teaching experience. As McLean said, “It’s okay to be frustrated!” McLean is available for interviews on the study, the tool and how teachers can help mitigate this effect. Click on her profile to contact her. 

View all posts
Powered by