Top Vitamin D foods
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. It is required for proper calcium absorption in your body, which helps in the development of bones and teeth. Vitamin D also helps in preventing rickets and bone fractures. It is also called sun-shine vitamin as it is naturally produced in human body, when skin is exposed to sunlight. Since, direct sunlight is not always available, it is better to consume rich vitamin D foods for proper balance of this important vitamin in the body.
Some of the important vitamin D foods are:
Cod Liver Oil – Cod liver oil is an excellent vitamin D food that naturally contains high level of Vitamin D. A single tablespoon of cod liver oil will provide you 1360 IU (international units) of Vitamin D.
Fortified cereals – Most cereals are fortified with required vitamins and nutrients. You will be amazed to know that every 100g serving of fortified cereals have around 342 IU of Vitamin D. Moreover, the vitamin D content increases when cereals are served with fortified soy milk or dairy products.
Fortified Soy products – Try to include soy products in your diet as they are often fortified with Vitamin D and calcium. Fortified Tofu is one of the vitamin D foods that provide around 1571IU of vitamin per gram serving.
Fortified Dairy Products - Fortified dairy products are rich vitamin D foods. A cup of milk will provide you with 1271 IU of Vitamin D.
Fish – Do you love sushi? Raw fishes catered as sushi are better sources of vitamin D foods than cooked fishes. Moreover, fish canned in oil are higher source of Vitamin D in comparison to those canned in water. Raw Atlantic Herring contains the highest amount of Vitamin D offering 1628 IU per gram serving. Fishes are rich in vitamin D as they feed on sun exposed algae.
Caviar – Caviar is an ingredient used in preparing sushi. However, many people are not aware that Caviar provides 232 IU of Vitamin D per 100 gram serving.
Oysters – Oysters are rich vitamin D foods, particularly when eaten in raw form. It provides 320 IU of Vitamin D per 100g serving. However, people with heart diseases should abstain from eating oysters as they are also rich in cholesterol.
Salami, Ham, Sausages – Salami, ham and sausages are foods rich in Vitamin D, where per 100g serving of salami provides 62.0 IU of Vitamin D. However, they are also rich in cholesterol and should be eaten in limited quantity by people with heart problems and hypertensions.
Mushrooms – Lightly prepared button mushroom is rich in Vitamin D with 27.0 IU per 100 gram serving.
Eggs – Eggs are also highly valued vitamin D foods, providing 37.0 IU of Vitamin D per 100 gram serving.
A deficiency of vitamin D in diet can result in weak immune system, poorly developed bones and muscles, poor hair growth and it may also increase cancer risk. Again, excess intake of Vitamin D enriched foods may increase the calcium absorption of body causing heart diseases and kidney stones. Thus, vitamin D foods are very important and the current U.S. RDA for vitamin D is 600 IU.
