Why does the relative concentration of Vitamin K versus Vitamin C vary significantly between tea and encapsulated dried leaf extract?

This variation occurs because Vitamin K is fat-soluble while Vitamin C is water-soluble, meaning different preparation methods selectively concentrate one type over the other.

The difference in nutritional yield when comparing a nettle tea infusion versus a dried leaf capsule preparation stems directly from the chemical properties of the targeted vitamins. Vitamin C is categorized as a water-soluble compound, meaning it transfers readily into the water base of an infusion (tea). Conversely, Vitamin K is fat-soluble. Therefore, when comparing these two preparations, the tea will have a higher relative concentration of water-soluble Vitamin C, whereas the encapsulated extract, which retains the whole leaf matrix including fats, will present a different ratio, often showing a higher relative concentration of fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin K. This disparity dictates that the specific health goal should influence the chosen method of preparation.