Author: Maryam Ayres
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Vitamin D, essential for the body, is produced by exposure to sunlight. Weather conditions, being in closed spaces - all this causes a lack of vitamin D.
Vitamin D, essential for the body, is produced by exposure to sunlight. Weather conditions, being in closed spaces - all this causes a lack of vitamin D. Fortunately, it can be replenished if you include the right foods in your daily diet.
This oily fish is a wonderful source of vitamin D. Just 100 grams of farm-raised fish provides 32% of the required daily value of the vitamin. And in wild salmon, this figure can reach up to 124%. And that's just from one steak!
It is a fish that is eaten all over the world. It can be served raw or pickled, salted, canned and smoked. 100 grams of fresh herring provides about 27% of the daily requirement. And the same amount of pickled - 14%.
One can of canned sardines contains 22% of the daily value of the required vitamin. This fish is perfect for salads and appetizers. Other oily fish, such as halibut, rainbow trout or mackerel, can also be a source of vitamin D.
This is a great and comfortable product. 100 grams contains enough vitamin D to provide 34% of the daily value your body needs. In addition, canned food is convenient to have on hand to prepare a salad or a main dish in a hurry.
You can replace fish in your diet with healthy oil. A teaspoon of cod liver oil contains an amount of the vitamin that can provide 56% of the daily value. This is a great way to make up for vitamin deficiency in children. In addition, this oil contains vitamin A and omega-3.
In addition to fish, eggs are an excellent source of vitamin D. If most of the proteins are found in the egg white, then fats, vitamins and minerals are concentrated in the yolk. The only problem is that the amount of vitamin directly depends on the way of life and nutrition of chickens. The more hens were in the sun, the higher the level of the vitamin in their yolks. And if they received food enriched with vitamin D, there is a chance not only to get the daily allowance by eating 1 egg, but also to increase it several times.
The plant source of vitamin D is mushrooms. Like humans, they can synthesize the vitamin when exposed to ultraviolet light. But if animals produce vitamin D3, then mushrooms produce D2. Unfortunately, it is less effective, although it is still able to increase the level of vitamin D in the blood. Preference should be given to forest mushrooms. Mushroom cultivation can take place in an enclosed space and complete darkness. In this case, the vitamin D content will be too low.
Although in small amounts, cheese can be a natural source of vitamin D. Hard cheeses like Cheddar have slightly more of it. In mozzarella - a little less. Soft cream cheeses, as well as cottage cheese, do not contain vitamin D at all.
In addition, on store shelves you can find products that manufacturers have enriched with vitamin D. Among them: milk, orange juice, oatmeal.
Incorporating foods rich in vitamin D into your diet is easy. But don't forget to get as much sun as possible!