9 Healthy Foods That Are High in Vitamin D

Taylor Jones, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist from the United States, and writes on the Authority Nutrition site. Her recent article '9 Healthy Foods That Are High in Vitamin D' starts:

"Vitamin D is unique, because it can be obtained from food and sun exposure.

However, up to 50% of the world’s population may not get enough sunlight, and 40% of people in the US are deficient in vitamin D.

This is partly because people spend more time indoors, wear sunblock outside and eat a Western diet low in good sources of this vitamin.

The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is 400 IU of vitamin D per day from foods, but many health organizations recommend getting 600 IU.

If you don’t get enough sunlight, it should probably be closer to 1,000 IU per day.

Here are 9 healthy foods that are high in vitamin D.

1. Salmon:

Salmon is a popular fatty fish and also a great source of vitamin D.
Wild salmon contains about 988 IU of vitamin D per serving, while farmed salmon contains 250 IU, on average.

2. Herring and Sardines:
Herring is a fish eaten around the world. It can be served raw, canned, smoked or pickled. It’s also one of the best sources of vitamin D.

Herring contains 1,628 IU of vitamin D per 3.5-oz (100-gram) serving. Pickled herring, sardines and other fatty fish such as halibut and mackerel are also good sources.

3. Cod Liver Oil:
Cod liver oil is a popular supplement. If you don’t like fish, taking cod liver oil can be a good way to obtain certain nutrients that are hard to get from other sources.
Cod liver oil is also a fantastic source of vitamin A, with 90% of the RDI in just one teaspoon (4.9 ml). However, vitamin A can be toxic in high amounts.
Therefore, it’s best to be cautious with cod liver oil and not take more than you need.
Cod liver oil contains 450 IU of vitamin D per teaspoon (4.9 ml). 

4. Canned Tuna:
Many people enjoy canned tuna because of its light flavour and the fact that it can be kept on-hand in the pantry. It is also usually cheaper than buying fresh fish. Canned light tuna contains up to 236 IU of vitamin D in a 100-gram (3.5-oz) serving, which is more than half of the RDI. It is also a good source of niacin and vitamin K.
Canned tuna contains 236 IU of vitamin D per serving. Choose light tuna and eat 6 oz or less per week to protect against methylmercury buildup.

5. Oysters:
Oysters are a type of clam that live in salt water. They are delicious, low in calories and full of nutrients.
Oysters are full of nutrients and provide 320 IU of vitamin D. They also contain more vitamin B12, copper and zinc than a multivitamin.

6. Shrimp:
Shrimp are a popular type of shellfish. Yet unlike most other seafood sources of vitamin D, shrimp are very low in fat. Despite this fact, they still contain a good amount of vitamin D — 152 IU per serving, or 38% of the RDI.
They also contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, although at lower amounts than many other foods rich in vitamin D.

7. Egg Yolks:

Luckily for people who don’t like fish, seafood is not the only source of vitamin D. Whole eggs are another good source, as well as a wonderfully nutritious food.

While most of the protein in an egg is found in the egg white, the fat, vitamins and minerals are found mostly in the egg yolk.

Eggs from commercially raised hens contain only about 30 IU of vitamin D per yolk. However, eggs from hens raised outside or fed vitamin D-enriched feed contain much higher levels.

8. Mushrooms:
Excluding fortified foods, mushrooms are the only plant source of vitamin D. Similar to humans, mushrooms can synthesize this vitamin when exposed to UV light. However, mushrooms produce vitamin D2, whereas animals produce vitamin D3.
Mushrooms can synthesize vitamin D2 when exposed to UV light. Only wild mushrooms or mushrooms treated with UV light are good sources of vitamin D.

9. Fortified Foods:
Natural sources of vitamin D are limited, especially if you’re a vegetarian or don't like fish. Fortunately, some foods that don’t naturally contain vitamin D are fortified with it.

Cow’s Milk:
Cow’s milk, the type of milk that most people drink, is naturally a good source of many nutrients including calcium, phosphorous and riboflavin.

In several countries, cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D. It usually contains about 130 IU per cup (237 ml), or about 33% of the RDI 

Soy Milk:
Because vitamin D is found almost exclusively in animal products, vegetarians and vegans are at particularly high risk of not getting enough of.

For this reason, plant-based milks such as soy milk are also often fortified with it, as well as other vitamins and minerals usually found in cow’s milk.

Orange Juice:
Around 75% of people worldwide are lactose intolerant, and another 2–3% have a milk allergy. For this reason, some countries fortify orange juice with vitamin D and other nutrients, such as calcium.

Cereal and Oatmeal:
Certain cereals and instant oatmeal are also fortified with vitamin D.

Take Home Message:
Spending some time outside in the sun is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. However, getting sufficient sun exposure is not possible for many people.

Getting enough from your diet alone is difficult, but not impossible.

The foods listed in this article are some of the top sources of vitamin D available.

Eating plenty of these vitamin D-rich foods is a great way to make sure you get enough of this important nutrient."

The above words are only part of Taylor's article so do please use the link at the end of this paragraph to go and read the full article, which also contains research/reference links. Her article is here

If you may be looking for a nice salmon recipe this is nice 
Salmon with Basil Cream Sauce
find the recipe here

Why not try this tasty sardine recipe idea
Greek Sardine Salad recipe (bread optional)
find the recipe here

Many thanks for reading, we try and bring a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas to this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy.

Please note, not all may be suitable for you.

If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan