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Nutrient-Dense Foods
Leafy Greens
Spinach, kale and other dark greens dense in vitamin K and folate, documented in USDA FoodData Central and NIH fact sheets.
Dark leafy greens — spinach, kale, rocket, chard — deliver an unusually high concentration of vitamins and minerals per calorie, which is why nutrient-density indexes consistently place them near the top.
What published research reports
USDA FoodData Central lists raw spinach at just 23 calories per 100 g while providing vitamin K well above the daily adequate intake, plus folate, vitamin A (as carotenoids), vitamin C, manganese and magnesium. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements vitamin K fact sheet names spinach, kale and collards among the richest food sources and notes that people taking warfarin should keep vitamin K intake consistent and consult their clinician. The Dietary Guidelines identify dark-green vegetables as a group most adults under-consume.
References
- US Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central — Spinach, raw. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin K: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
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