Top 10 Vitamin D-Rich Foods to Add to Your Daily Diet
Top 10 Vitamin D-Rich Foods to Add to Your Daily Diet: The recent few decades have shown a decline in the consumption of healthy foods containing vitamins and a rapid rise in the fast-food industry, leading to people living on unhealthy diets. Vitamin D deficiency can cause a variety of impairments, especially in older people. In such a situation, the chances of developing heart disease along with asthma become prominent.
If you think that you are not getting enough vitamin D from exposure to direct sunlight, here are some healthy foods rich in vitamin D that you can include in your daily diet.
Parents usually struggle to ensure their children consume healthy food. The COVID pandemic has deprived children of playing under the sun, which may be a major factor in why they may have low amounts of vitamin D compared to other vitamins. In all that chaos, you may be missing out on essential vitamins and minerals that your kids might need.
Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because it is formed due to exposure to sunlight. It promotes calcium in bones and teeth. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that contains vitamins D-1, D-2, and D-3. Even though most foods that contain vitamin D are not obtained naturally other than eggs, you can still get it from fatty, oily fish and fortified milk products.
If you or your children are deficient in vitamin D, here are some healthy foods that you can consider making a regular part of your diet:
1. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D. The minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins found in mushrooms can aid your body’s functions. Vitamin D absorption of mushrooms occurs when exposed to UV light. However, it would be best to note that only wild mushrooms and those exposed to UV light have the vitamin D gene.
Mushrooms are also known to be good for heart health, diabetes, and pregnancy and are the only non-fortified, vegetarian dietary source of vitamin D, among others. If you are deficient in vitamin D, try to make these vegetables a part of your staple diet.
2. Eggs
The egg yolk (41 IU) contains most of the vitamins and minerals, while the white contains only protein. The vitamin D in eggs has been shown to be essential for strengthening your body’s immune system and skeletal and muscle health.
Eggs have been the only natural source of vitamin D for centuries. Make it a habit to give your kids at least two eggs per day as it can also strengthen their bone density and help them grow and improve their underlying health, especially if they are into sports.
3. Salmon
Many restaurants now have a portion of the menu dedicated to foods rich in vitamin D. For example, salmon, a vitamin D-rich food, is offered in many varieties in a variety of dishes. Sockeye salmon has a rich content of protein and omega-3 fatty acids and contains 447 international units of vitamin D. In contrast, farmed Atlantic salmon contains 526 international units of vitamin D.
You should consider the fact that wild salmon and farmed salmon may have different qualities. Keep in mind that wild salmon has more international units of vitamin D than farmed salmon.
4. Sardines and Herring
Sardines have an exceptional nutritional value that strengthens bones and enhances nerve function. Sardines and herring both have similar dietary benefits, which can be a little confusing if you don’t have expert knowledge about them. Fresh Atlantic herring provides about 1628 IU for a good portion, while sardines accommodate about 272 IU for the same portion. It would be best to consider that the IU value of fudge and sardines that come in canned, pickled, or otherwise forms vary.
5. Orange Juice
Orange juice sources of vitamin D have become a popular supplement for health in recent years. Fortified orange juice has replaced milk for most Americans, especially for the lactose-intolerant. However, it has been shown to be useful for people, especially children, who are deficient in vitamin D. A glass of orange juice containing about 100 international units with breakfast will stave off any health issues.
6. Fortified Milk
Calcium, phosphorus, and riboflavin are the nutrients found in cow’s milk, while vitamin D is fortified. Cow’s milk consists of around 115-130 international units per cup, while fortified soy milk has around 107-117 international units of vitamin D. All plant-based dietary products like soy and almond milk came into production mainly since vegans were unable to consume any of the other vitamin D products. Yogurt is also an underrated source of vitamin D.
7. Red Meat
Meat, mainly of animal origin, is advocated as those with substantial vitamin D. However, the IU can vary based on the different types of meat, like salami, pork, or beef. For instance, a 25g steak has around 15 IU. In contrast, beef braised ribs have almost 27 IU of vitamin D. Despite containing vitamin D, red meat is not usually recommended in a dietary plan because it interferes with digestion.
8. Pork Chops
The backfat and spare ribs of pork generally contain a higher level of vitamin D. While the backfat contains 138 IU per 4 ounces, the spare ribs have around 103 IU per 4 ounces. Cut from the lower area of the pig around the belly and breastbone, the spare ribs offer a rich vitamin D supplement.
9. Beef Liver
Though not markedly popular, organ meat has proved to be a prime source of vitamin D in recent years. Beef kidney and liver provide 38 and 42 IUs of vitamin D, respectively. Although it does not offer as much as vitamin D we would prefer to have, the daily value percentage still comes to around 9% of the RDI for a 4-ounce serving. However, similar to red meat, you need to be careful while consuming beef liver, as it can increase your cholesterol levels immensely, making this an undesirable method of increasing vitamin D intake.
10. Cereal and Oatmeal
Even though cereal and oatmeal dispense productively less vitamin D, these can serve and maintain the intended purpose. Fortified Vitamin D in foods like cereal and oatmeal can accommodate up to 54-136 international units per serving. This is also an efficient way for children to consume vitamin D without protest since most prefer cereal for breakfast.
