What Foods Contain A Lot Of Vitamin D [list]

The material was checked and commented on by Ekaterina Erokhina, head of the Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, endocrinologist, candidate of medical sciences, employee of the Medsi Clinical and Diagnostic Center on Belorusskaya.

Vitamin D-rich foods:

• Salmon
• Sardines and other fatty fish
• Herring
• Canned tuna
• Cod liver oil
• Egg yolks
• Mushrooms
• Cow's milk
• Soy milk
• Orange juice
• Vitamin D and Calcium

Salmon

According to the USDA, a serving of fatty fish weighing about 100 grams contains 526 IU (international units) of vitamin D. This is 66% of the daily value [1]. Much depends on where the salmon was grown. Wild-caught fish contain up to 988 IU of vitamin D per serving, with some studies suggesting that the figure goes up to 1300 IU [2], [3]. Captive-raised salmon can provide 25% fewer nutrients, but an average serving provides 250 IU of the vitamin, or 32% of the daily value [2].

Why vitamin D is good for you

Sardines and other fatty fish

Canned sardines are a good source of the "sunshine vitamin". One 100g serving contains 177 IU of the nutrient, which is 22% of the daily intake. Other types of healthy, oily fish should be included in your diet if you spend a lot of time indoors. For example, a serving of halibut or mackerel will provide about 360-390 IU of vitamin D [5], [6].

Herring

Herring is cooked not only in oil. It can be canned, smoked, and pickled. One fresh natural Atlantic herring provides 216 IU of vitamin D per serving, or 27% of the RDA [4]. If you prefer pickled fish, then use it to replenish about 14% of the required amount of vitamin D - in one serving of it 112 IU. Keep in mind that with this cooking method a lot of salt accumulates in the fish, an excess of which can negatively affect health.

Canned tuna

This fish is often added to soups and salads. Canned food is convenient to store, you can easily cook lunch from them without long heat treatment. In addition, in this form, tuna is much cheaper than fresh. Canned food contains 268 IU of vitamin D per 100 g, which is 34% of the daily value. In addition, canned tuna is an excellent source of vitamin K [9]. But doctors say the product may contain traces of mercury and other toxins that, when accumulated in the body, cause health problems. They are found in many types of fish [10], so you shouldn't eat canned tuna every day.

Cod liver oil

The fat of this fish is used to prevent vitamin D deficiency in children. A teaspoon of cod liver oil contains 448 IU of the substance, which is 56% of the RDA [7], [8]. In addition, this fat contains a large amount of Omega-3 and vitamin A - about 150% of the daily value of 5 ml. Keep in mind that this vitamin can be toxic in large quantities, so do not consume cod liver oil too often.

Egg yolks

Seafood is the main, but not the only source of vitamin D. Whole eggs fill its deficiency just as well, and they are very nutritious. Useful substances and minerals are found mainly in the yolk: in one - 5% of the daily value of the "solar vitamin" [11]. The amount of vitamin D depends mainly on the length of time the chicken is in the sun and the quality of the grain that is fed to it. Farm-raised birds produce eggs that are three to four times more nutritious [12].

Mushrooms

Vitamin D is produced in mushrooms by exposure to ultraviolet radiation [13]. This is one of the plant foods with a high vitamin content without additional artificial fortification. There is a lot of D2 in mushrooms, while, for example, in fish there is a lot of D3. D2 helps to raise blood vitamin levels, but it is less effective than D3 [14]. Some varieties of mushrooms contain up to 2300 IU per 100 gram portion, which is almost several times the daily requirement. But most types of food from the store are grown in the dark, and there are much less nutrients in them. Some manufacturers treat mushrooms with ultraviolet light, which provides about 130-450 IU of vitamin D2 per serving [15].