Which foods are rich in vitamin D? 22 Ways to Get More

Vitamin D is an essential mineral for good health, so knowing which foods are rich in vitamin D can help you make sure your diet is balanced. Check out this list of vitamin D-rich foods! There has been a recent uptick in questions about vitamin D and its function in human health.

Vitamin D has several effects on the body, and one of them is bone health.

Vitamin D deficiency is common.

About a quarter of Americans may be low in vitamin D, according to studies. Possible greater rates of insufficiency exist in other parts of the globe. Around 40 percent of people in Europe may be vitamin D deficient, according to some estimates (1Trusted Source).

When skin is exposed to sunlight, the body creates vitamin D. It’s challenging to receive enough vitamin D in this manner for a few different reasons.

Covering up, using sunscreen, and staying indoors during the middle of the day are all good ways to lower your chance of developing skin cancer. As for getting enough light all year round, it could be impossible in certain parts of the planet.

Diet or supplements provide vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a nutrient, so even if you don’t get enough of it from the sun, you could get what you need from food.

Only two foods contain vitamin D. Mushrooms contain vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), while fish contain vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Vitamin D3 in its active form provides the most benefits. This vitamin D form is commonly used in supplements and multivitamins due to its ability to raise blood vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is an essential mineral for good health, so knowing Which foods are rich in vitamin D can help you make sure your diet is balanced. Check out this list of vitamin D-rich foods!

Top 17 Vitamin D-rich foods

In addition to the recommended daily allowance, I’d want to know what kinds of foods naturally contain vitamin D. Below are some reliable methods for achieving this goal.

• The vitamin A content of cod liver oil is 1,360 IU per tablespoon.
• The vitamin D content of just 3 ounces of wild-caught salmon is 447 IU.
• One serving of mackerel (3 ounces) has 306 IU of vitamin A.
• Fortified milk has 124 IU,
• fortified almond milk has 120 IU, and
• fortified coconut milk also has 120 IU per cup.
• A 3-ounce serving of tuna has 154 IU.
• In a standard measuring cup, morel mushrooms weigh in at a svelte 3.4 grams.
• Some yogurts provide as much as 80 IU of calcium per serving.
• International units (IU)-wise, two sardines are equivalent to or higher than a glass of fortified orange juice.
• One egg yolk contains 41 IUs of vitamin A. (IU).
• Only 3 ounces of cow liver packs a whopping 42 iu’s.
• Fortified cereals usually offer 40 international units of vitamin A per cup.
• 37 IU per teaspoon of fish roe contains vitamin D. (also known as caviar).
• Since fortified cheese provides 6 IU of extra nutrients per ounce, it’s a healthy choice for dinner.
• This super coffee contains 1,000 IU of shiitake mushrooms.
• Oyster mushrooms provide an abundance of vitamin D. There are six SI units in each cup.

Tools to Boost Absorption

Fat-soluble vitamin D absorbs better with fatty foods.

Vitamin D absorbs best when combined with lipids such as:

• ghee
• coconut oil
• nuts
• seeds
• shellfish

lower vitamin D needs

Consume one or two servings of vitamin D-rich foods daily. Vegetables, dairy products, and fatty fish are excellent food sources of vitamin D and other vital elements. Include these items in your daily diet.

One reason some individuals don’t get enough vitamin D is that they don’t consume enough fish. It is OK for vegetarians and vegans to consume vitamin D-rich foods.

Fatty fish, liver, eggs, mushrooms, fortified cereals, drinks, and dairy products are all good sources of vitamin D.

So that you acquire the recommended amount of vitamin D for maximum health, you might wish to eat more vitamin D-rich foods. To start cooking with vitamin D-rich ingredients, here are some tasty and healthy recipes.

• There are a variety of fish dishes, such as fried sardines seasoned with lemon, garlic, and paprika.
• Eggs with smoked salmon and tuna pasta salad are two others.

Vitamin D-rich mushrooms are healthy.

mushrooms are a fantastic substitute for fish for vegetarians and vegans. It is true that some varieties of mushrooms have a lot of vitamin D.

Examples:

For every 50 grams consumed, you will receive 562 IU of vitamin D from raw maitake mushrooms (g)

• The vast majority of Trusted Source comes from RDA, at 94%.
• Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (77 IU per 50 g)
• Trusted Source has a recommended daily allowance of 12 percent.
• Sun-dried mushrooms have a high vitamin D content because of their prolonged exposure to sunshine. Examples:

• Uv-exposed raw Portobello mushrooms contain 568 IU per 50 g or 95% of the RDA.
• Uncooked UV-exposed white mushrooms have 523 i.u. per 50 grams.
• For Reliable Data, the RDA is 87%.

When compared to other foods, mushrooms have an exceptionally high vitamin D content. Now, you can buy a certain variety of mushrooms that have had their vitamin D level increased by exposure to UV rays from health food stores.

It is possible that mushrooms, because of the plant sterols in their diet, may synthesize vitamin D from sunshine. After five minutes of UV exposure, mushrooms had significantly more vitamin D.

Some farmers have found that, with the use of supplementary illumination, they can also successfully cultivate mushrooms in the open.

Vitamin D, for example, is in short supply yet crucial to human health, and maitake mushrooms have an exceptionally high concentration of the vitamin. It’s possible that portobello mushroom concentrations are different from those of other types of mushrooms.

Strengthened milk and cheese.

Pasteurized milk and other dairy products do not naturally contain vitamin D, despite popular belief to the contrary. The pasteurized versions of soy, rice, and cow’s milk all include synthetic vitamin D.

Each quart of US-fortified milk contains 400 international units of vitamin D, according to the USDA. Most individuals avoid taking vitamin D3 because they fear it would be harmful, despite the fact that vitamin D3 obtained synthetically is identical to vitamin D3 obtained in nature.

Even unpasteurized milk fat may contain small amounts of vitamin D. One research found that raw milk offers 38 international units of vitamin D per fluid ounce. Size: (2 gallons)

Raw milk is difficult to measure since its amount fluctuates substantially from sample to sample and is highly correlated with the health of the animal.

USDA does not release information about the vitamin D content in raw milk, and several studies have found widely varying concentrations. You should know this if you’re trying to enhance your vitamin D consumption and consider consuming raw milk.

Foods Richest in Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Drug Doses 

Babies under the age of 12 months need at least 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day. Healthy 19–70-year-olds can consume 700 IU daily.

Vitamin D consumption needs to be raised by at least 800 IU per day for the elderly.

For optimal health, eat the recommended daily allowance and possibly more.

Choose a multivitamin made from real food instead of one full of synthetic ingredients and D3 instead of D2.

DHA, Calcium Vitamin D-rich foods

Taking calcium and vitamin D together is recommended because of how well they complement one another.

Vitamin D aids the body in absorbing calcium. Calcium is an important mineral for several reasons, including its positive effects on the cardiovascular and skeletal systems, overall health, and body weight.

The body needs active calcium to use passive calcium from foods like leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, dairy, and almonds. These pursuits call for D3.

Milk, yogurt, and orange juice are just a few examples of fortified foods that may help you meet your daily calcium and vitamin D requirements.

The following meal combinations may also give an exceptionally high calcium and vitamin D intake:

• salad with fried eggs
• A salmon and veggie dish is a great choice for a nutritious supper.
• Almond-flavored yogurt with added vitamins and minerals.
• Fish and vegetable white bean stew.

Vitamin D: RDA

800 international units (IU) is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D. (20 mcg). Nutritional labels provide information on a product’s nutrient breakdown, including the amount of vitamin D and its percentage of the daily value. How much of your recommended daily intake of vitamin D will this meal supply? (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Food and supplements provide vitamin D.

Ask your doctor whether you need to take a vitamin D supplement on top of getting enough vitamin D through diet and the sun. Additionally, they may aid in determining whether or not a deficiency exists.

Listed below are seven examples of vitamin D-rich foods.

Fish and fish oils

Examples:

• One teaspoon of cod liver oil provides 75% of the recommended vitamin D, 450 IU (RDA).
• There are 306 international units of vitamin A in a serving of dry-cooked herring fillets, which is 51% of the RDI.
• Swordfish, when prepared dry, contains 706 international units (IU) of vitamin B12, or 117% of the RDI.

Salmon.

Omega-3 and vitamin D-rich salmon are popular.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Composition Database research shows that one serving of farmed Atlantic salmon (3.5 ounces or 100 grams) provides 526 IU of vitamin D or 66% of the daily value (4Trusted Source).

The vitamin D concentration of salmon may vary significantly depending on whether it was wild-caught or farmed.

Vitamin D levels seem to be higher in wild-caught salmon. Whether or not salmon is high in vitamin D depends on when and where it was harvested.

One research found that a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) meal of salmon taken in the Baltic Sea provided between 556 and 924 IU of vitamin D, or between 70 and 111% of the DV (5Trusted Source).

ROUGHLY SPOKEN Wild salmon is a better source of vitamin D than farmed salmon, although both types of salmon are healthy options. One serving of 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of farmed salmon has around 66% of the DV, whereas one serving of wild salmon has up to 160% of the DV.

Herring and sardines. Vitamin D-rich foods

The herring fish is popular in many different cultures. Several cultures smoke or pickle it. There’s a lot of vitamin D in this little fish, too.

Fresh Atlantic herring (100 grams, or 3.5 ounces) contains 214 IU, 27% of the daily value (6Trusted Source).

Pickled herring provides 113 IU of vitamin D per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), or 14% of the DV, making it a viable alternative to fresh fish. Each dish of pickled herring has 870 milligrams of sodium. It may not be a fantastic choice if you are seeking to minimize your salt consumption (7Trusted Source) (7Trusted Source).

Canned sardines are a wonderful source of vitamin D as well. You’ll get 193 IU, or 24 percent of your daily value, from a single 3.5-ounce (100-gram) meal (8Trusted Source).

Other varieties of fatty fish are also rich in vitamin D sources. Omega-3 fatty acid content per 3.5 ounces (100 gram) serving for halibut and mackerel is 190 IU and 643 IU, respectively (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Herring contains vitamin D per 100 grams (3.5 ounces). Other healthy sources include fatty seafood like halibut and mackerel, as well as pickled herring and sardines.

Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin D-rich foods

One common nutritional aid is cod liver oil. You can still receive the nutrients you need if you don’t like fish by ingesting cod liver oil.

Vitamin D3 is abundant in this food. One teaspoon provides 56% of the daily value (4.9 mL). For quite some time, it has been the go-to remedy for those with vitamin D deficiencies. Furthermore, it has a long history of use in the treatment of rickets, psoriasis, and TB (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

One teaspoon of cod liver oil has 150% of the daily value for vitamin A. (4.9 mL). Vitamin A can be toxic. Vitamin A has a 3,000 mcg upper limit (UL). Cod liver oil has 1,350 mcg of vitamin A per teaspoon (4.9 mL).

When using cod liver oil or any other vitamin A supplement, be sure you don’t take more than the recommended amount (11Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

Cod liver oil is also rich in omega-3s. Omega-3s improve cardiovascular health and inflammation. Cod liver oil, like fatty seafood, contains this fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for human health, but it may be challenging to get enough of them without eating fish.

SUMMARY

Every teaspoon of cod liver oil (around 4.9 milliliters) provides 56% of the daily value for vitamin D. It’s a good source of vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, among other things.

Tuna.Vitamin D-rich foods

Canned tuna is a popular choice because of its convenient portability and delicious taste. In most cases, this is a more cost-effective option than purchasing fresh fish.

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) portion of canned light tuna contains 269 IU of vitamin D or 34% of the DV (15Trusted Source).

In many cases, fish have high levels of the heavy element mercury. Mercury levels tend to be higher in larger fish species. The mercury content of canned tuna varies by species.

Mercury-free light canned tuna is made from smaller fish. White canned tuna is mercury-rich (16).

Methylmercury is toxic and may accumulate in the body over time. Some instances of this might cause major health problems (16, 17).

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) suggests limiting the consumption of light tuna to one weekly meal of 3.5 ounces (100 grams). If mercury intake concerns you, ask your doctor how much tuna to eat each week (16).

Summary

One serving of tuna in a can is equivalent to 269 international units of vitamin D. To reduce methylmercury accumulation, consume no more than one can of light tuna each week.

Egg yolks, Vitamin D-rich foods

Vitamin D may be found in a variety of other foods than fish. Whole eggs are also a great source since they are so nutrient-dense.

The yolk contains the majority of the egg’s fat, vitamins, and minerals, whereas the white contains the majority of the egg’s protein.

One large egg yolk contains 37 IU of vitamin D, 5% of the DV (18Trusted Source).

The amount of vitamin D in egg yolks might vary depending on a few things.

Vitamin D levels in eggs may be raised by exposing the liquid yolk to UV radiation, feeding the chickens a diet rich in vitamin D, or exposing the chickens to the sun. Chickens are grown on pasture in the sunshine with the same diet produce eggs in three- to four-fold greater amounts (19, 20).

In addition, the yolks of eggs laid by hens on a vitamin D-enriched diet might contain as much as 34,815 IU of vitamin D per 100 grams of yolk. A single egg contains around 2.5 times the daily value of vitamin D since its yolk weighs about 17 grams (21Trusted Source).

Eggs, especially those from outdoor-reared hens or those advertised as vitamin D-rich, are a good way to get enough vitamin D daily.

SUMMARY

About 37 international units of vitamin D may be found in each yolk of a professionally grown hen’s egg. In contrast, vitamin D levels are significantly higher in eggs laid by chickens that were either housed in natural environments or provided a vitamin D-fortified diet.

Mushrooms, Vitamin D-rich foods

Only mushrooms and fortified foods provide enough vitamin D.

Mushrooms, like humans, may produce vitamin D through exposure to sunlight (22Trusted Source).

Mushrooms generate vitamin D2, whereas mammals generate vitamin D3 (22 Trusted Source).

Vitamin D2 may increase vitamin D levels in the blood, although it may not be as efficient as vitamin D3 (22Trusted Source).

When exposed to UV radiation, several varieties of wild mushrooms become rich in vitamin D2. The morel is a fungus that thrives in natural environments. There are 136 IU of vitamin D in one cup of these mushrooms, which is 17% of the daily value (23 Trusted Source).

Many of the mushrooms sold in stores are cultivated in the dark and hence lack sufficient vitamin D2. As a means of increasing their vitamin D concentration, certain mushrooms are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The vitamin D content of UV-exposed cremini mushrooms is 139% of the DV per cup, with 1,110 IU (24, 25 Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

In response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, mushrooms are able to produce vitamin D2. Vitamin D can only be obtained from wild mushrooms or mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Seven vitamin-D-fortified products

It might be difficult to acquire enough vitamin D from food alone, particularly if you’re vegetarian or don’t enjoy seafood.

Good news: vitamin D is often added to foods that don’t already contain it.

Cow’s milk

Calcium, phosphorus, and riboflavin are just a few of the numerous nutrients that cow’s milk is an excellent source of (26Trusted Source).

Vitamin D has been added to cow’s milk in a number of different nations. 115 international units of vitamin D per cup (237 mL), or roughly 15% of the DV, may be found in fortified cow’s milk in the United States (26 Trusted Source).

The Benefits of Soy Milk

Vegetarians and vegans may have a more difficult time obtaining enough vitamin D levels since the vitamin is nearly never present in plant foods and always in animal products (27Trusted Source).

As a result, several dairy alternatives, such as soy milk, are now fortified with vitamin D and other elements often present in cow’s milk.

Depending on the manufacturer, the price may change. There are around 100-119 IU of vitamin D per cup (237 mL), which is about 13%-15% of the Daily Value (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

Fresh squeezed orange juice

Sixty-five percent of the world’s population has trouble digesting lactose, and two percent are allergic to milk (30, 31 Trusted Source).

This is why some manufacturers add vitamin D and other minerals, including calcium, to orange juice. Having a cup of fortified orange juice in the morning may provide you with up to 100 IU of vitamin D, or 12% of the DV (32Trusted Source).

Not everyone benefits much from drinking orange juice. It may make acid reflux symptoms worse for those who already suffer from them.

Juice may raise blood sugar levels, which can be problematic if you have diabetes. This means it’s a good choice for those who need to address low blood sugar.

Oatmeal and other cereal

Foods like cereals may also be fortified with vitamin D.

Wheat bran flakes have been fortified with 145 IU of vitamin D per cup, which is equivalent to 18% of the DV. For example, the vitamin D content of a cup of fortified crisp rice cereal is 85 IU, or 11% of the DV (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).

Keep in mind that not all breakfast cereals are created equal. If you want to know how much vitamin D a product contains, it’s sensible to read the label. Increasing your vitamin D consumption with fortified cereals and oatmeal is a viable option, despite the fact that they give less vitamin D than many natural sources.

SYNTHESIS Cereals, oatmeal, orange juice, and even soy milk and cow’s milk are occasionally supplemented with vitamin D. Because vitamin D levels may vary greatly, you should read labels carefully. There will be no vitamin D in the product unless it has been fortified.

Calcium and vitamin D

Vitamin D aids in the body’s absorption of calcium. This is crucial for the health of our bones and whole skeletons.

Bone health and protection against bone-weakening diseases like osteoporosis depend on receiving enough amounts of both vitamin D and calcium (35Trusted Source).

While 800 international units (IU) per day is the DV for vitamin D, the RDA varies widely between age groups.

Between 400 and 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily are recommended for children and people aged 1 to 70. Both diet and sunshine may play a role in this. The minimum daily vitamin D intake for those over the age of 70 is 800 IU (20 mcg) (2Trusted Source).

Calcium RDAs also change with aging.

• Calcium intake for children aged 4 to 8 should be about 1,000 mg daily.
• Children between the ages of 9 and 18 need around 1,300 mg per day.
• The average daily dosage for adults aged 19 to 50 is 1,000 mg.
• Those over the age of 50 need 1,200 mg daily (36Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

To help your body retain calcium, take vitamin D. As a result, preventing osteoporosis and keeping bones healthy requires adequate intakes of both vitamin D and calcium.

Article results

Our skin can synthesize vitamin D from sunlight, but that may not be the most efficient means of getting enough.

The CDC advises taking numerous measures to avoid sun exposure in order to lower skin cancer risks. Spending more time in the shade, always using sunscreen, and always covering up while out in the sun are all good practices to follow (38Trusted Source).

This means that getting enough vitamin D is most reliably and safely achieved via dietary means or through the use of vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D is a nutrient that may be hard, but not impossible, to get through food alone. Many people don’t realize that the foods mentioned in this article are excellent sources of vitamin D.

Consuming large quantities of vitamin D-rich foods is a wonderful method to guarantee the adequate intake of this essential vitamin.

As a result, we may conclude

Eating more vitamin D-rich foods is a simple way to avoid vitamin D deficiency and improve overall health. These are all great places to get your daily dose of vitamin D

• Milk
• yogurt
• mushrooms
• eggs
• salmon
• mackerel
• sardines
• caviar or fish roe
• fortified cereals
• juices

Recent data suggests that eating vitamin D-rich foods may be helpful while getting enough sun exposure is still the best approach to maintaining stable vitamin D levels. It is recommended that people spend 10–20 minutes in the sun every day.
Supplemental vitamin D is an option for those who don’t get enough of the nutrient through their regular diet.