The list is short, but you can get enough from your diet.
“The optimal source of vitamin D is sunlight,” said Kelly Pritchett, Ph.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US and assistant professor of nutrition and exercise science at Central Washington University.
This is because your body is designed to produce the vitamin D it needs from to the sun’s ultraviolet B rays, which you can do with 10 to 20 minutes during peak daytime hours – typically 11 a.m. to 4 p.m – during the spring and summer.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t get enough of the nutrient from your diet. Dietary guidelines recommend adults get 600 IU every day for most adults. For reference, a cup of fortified milk has about 100 IU. Stock up on these items to keep your vitamin D levels covered.
Fatty Fish
Fish like salmon, herring, and tuna are good sources of vitamin D. Because the vitamin is fat-soluble it needs fat for absorption. A 110g serving of salmon has a whopping 127 per cent of the daily recommended value. Aim for a 110g serving of these fatty fish about two times per week.
Fortified Foods
Vitamin D is often added to milk, orange juice, cereal and bread. An 250ml serving of milk provides about 16 per cent of your daily vitamin D needs, and the same amount of orange juice has about 17 per cent.
Eggs
The yolks have 7 per cent of your vitamin D needs, and the fat helps boost absorption. Recently the dietary guidelines were revised to lift the 300 mg-limit on dietary cholesterol (eggs have 200 mg), making it okay to have a couple per day for most healthy people.
Supplement
A D3 supplement, which typically supplies between 500 and 2000 IU, can also be a good way to hit your vitamin D levels and maintain them if you’re not getting enough from food.
