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 Delware'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

Researchers find ‘narrow’ depictions of fatherhood in children’s literature

When children read picture books, they are often greeted with depictions of family and life lessons their young minds soak up. What happens then, when those depictions don’t offer a thoughtful image of gender or family as they have changed over the years? That is one of the questions University of Delaware Professor Bill Lewis and Social Science Research Analyst and UD alumna Laura Cutler explored in their recent paper, published in the quarterly journal Children's Literature in Education. In “Portraits of Fatherhood: Depictions of Fathers and Father–Child Relationships in Award-Winning Children’s Literature,” Lewis and Cutler looked at more than 80 children’s books to analyze how authors and publishers depicted fathers and fatherhood. What they found was that over a span of nearly 20 years, from 2001 to 2020, these books presented "a narrow view of fatherhood," both in what roles fathers have in familial units and which types of fathers are presented. They also noted that these portrayals have remained relatively static over the last two decades. Lewis, a professor in the College of Education and Human Development’s School of Education, broke down what spurred the research and what he and Cutler hope changes as a result of the research in a new Q&A. Contact mediarelations@udel.edu to set up an interview with Lewis.

1 min

Professors address students' climate anxiety

Professors at the University of Delaware preparing students for careers working on climate change are making sure to consider mental health issues as they send them out into the world. UD's Climate Change Science and Policy Hub, led by director A.R. Siders, is starting a series of initiatives – on campus and in the region – to tackle the challenge of what is known as climate anxiety. This involves traditional trainings but also innovations with creativity, art, video games and play. "Learning about and working on climate change causes climate anxiety, ecogrief, solastalgia – there’s a whole new set of terms being created just to describe the problem," said Siders, also an associate professor in UD's Disaster Research Center and Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. "This is a real mental health concern." This new way of approaching climate education has become even more critical as universities expand climate education – such as new climate schools, degrees, courses and even embedding it in general education courses, Siders said. The U.S. government is supporting a growing climate workforce, and it is expected that more people will work in climate-related careers. To reach Siders and set up an interview, visit her profile and click on the "contact" link. This will automatically send an email directly to her.

1 min

Those flying spiders are harmless; don't tell that to arachnophobes

A breed of flying arachnids known as Joro spiders are headed to the northeast this summer, specifically Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Experts say there's nothing to fear, but that doesn't make them any less scary to those who have an issue with the eight-legged bug eaters. Two University of Delaware experts can provide insight and (some) comfort regarding any potential risk to humans. Brian Kunkel, an expert in landscape and household insects and entomology for ornamentals with UD's Cooperative Extension, confirmed the yellow and black spider will be making its arrival in the Tri-State area but said it isn't likely to be noticed until the fall, when it grows to visible size. Regardless, there is no need to be concerned. In the unlikely event that it bites, you would feel something akin to a bee sting, Kunkel said. Doug Tallamy, professor of entomology and wildlife ecology, confirmed the spiders are on the way but echoed Kunkel's assessment that there is nothing to be worried about. To set up an interview with Kunkel, send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu. If interested in an interview with Tallamy, visit his profile and click on the contact button.

View all posts
Powered by