A Guide to the Most Convenient Dietary Sources of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial for many bodily functions, not the least of which is maintaining strong bones. Vitamin D is essential for numerous human processes, including immunological function, cell development and repair, and many more. Sunlight and diet are the two primary sources of vitamin D, so let’s see which foods are rich in this nutrient.
Vitamin D Doesn’t have to come from Food
I should probably start by answering the question of where vitamin D initially originates before getting into food sources. You won’t have to worry about reaching your needs through food if you receive plenty of sun, and vice versa, because food and supplements are the primary sources.
To what extent does vitamin D deficiency occur without sunlight? How dark or light your skin is and the latitude on Earth determine that. Take this study that analyzed solar exposure in Boston and Miami as a starting point. A person with a medium skin tone who tans readily but can still be sunburned can acquire their daily dose of vitamin D in Miami during the summer in just a few minutes. Even with all the layers on, that individual might need two hours to obtain the same quantity of vitamin D in Boston during the winter.
Health specialists generally recommend taking a supplement if you aren’t sure you’re getting enough vitamin D via diet and the sun. It’s safer to do that than to get all the vitamin D you need from the sun, whose rays can cause skin cancer and turn light into other forms of energy.
How much Vitamin D Should You Eat Daily?
The exact amount of vitamin D required is a matter of debate. Still, the National Institutes of Health in the United States have determined that 600 international units (IU) are sufficient for most people between the ages of 1 and 70. The recommended dosage for adults over the age of 70 is 800 IU. Since 800 IU is the goal daily value (recommended for the elderly), most of us can get by with about 75% of the daily dose instead of ensuring we achieve 100%, which is why nutrition labels reflect this.
Vitamin D comes in many forms in food, and some are more powerful than others; this is why there are so many different international units for it. If you want to avoid tracking the specific vitamin D form in food, you can use international units instead. 600 IU is generally comparable to 15 micrograms of vitamin D. The 600 or 800 IU guidelines are more for the Bostonian bundled up than the Miami Beach bum because they presume very little sun exposure.
Easy Ways to Add Vitamin D to your Diet
Eat more fatty fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon and trout, are excellent sources of vitamin D since the vitamin is found in abundance in fish fat. Permit me a little rant: When people ask what foods are good sources of vitamin D, the first thing that comes to mind is cod liver oil, as if people were buying it and consuming it spoonful by spoonful like in old cartoons. Some individuals might. (Stop reading this if you identify with this.) I will continue with my to-do list, disregarding the existence of cod liver oil. However, it is perfectly acceptable if this is how you want to obtain your vitamin D.
Here is the vitamin D content of several fish varieties, in case you’d rather savour your fish than worry about getting enough. The following are the amounts found in three ounces of cooked fish, all provided by the USDA.
- Trout (rainbow, farmed): 645 IU
- Salmon (sockeye): 570 IU
- Tuna (light, canned): 229 IU (or 460 IU for a small can)
- Tilapia: 128 IU
- Fish sticks: sadly, only 1 IU
Other Animal Products that are Good Sources of Vitamin D
Several land animals also make enough vitamin D to be worth considering as a good source of vitamin D.
- Chicken eggs: 37 IU each (the vitamin D is in the yolk)
- Beef liver: 48 IU in a three-ounce cooked portion
The vitamin D in milk is well-known, and you can usually see the label reading “vitamin D milk” on milk cartons. Whole milk often contains vitamin D, commonly fortified to increase those levels even more. Skim milk typically has less vitamin D because part of it is naturally in fat.
- Whole milk: 124 IU per cup
- Heavy cream: 19 IU per ounce
Eat More Fortified Foods
Food is “fortified” with vitamins if those vitamins have been added to it. Many people don’t drink milk, so several similar beverages are sold with vitamin D added.
- Fortified plant milk: Check the label, but it’s often similar to whole milk. Here’s a Silk brand of soy milk with 120 IU per cup.
- Fortified orange juice: Check the label, but here’s Simply Orange with 200 IU per cup.
- Fortified cereals: Check the label, but even a sugary cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch has 240 IU per serving.
I think you understand. Many commonly consumed plant-based foods are fortified with vitamin D since their natural vitamin D content is low. You should be able to get enough vitamin D via diet, sunshine, and even a supplement if you prefer the “I don’t want to think about it” method.
