Best Foods That Get Vitamin D

• The Ultimate Guide To Foods That Get Vitamin D

If vitamin D can be extracted from the sun in the summer, then in darker weather the question arises as to whether to try to get the sun’s vitamin from food or whether you should still turn to a tablet jar.

The daily need for vitamin D in adults is 10g and in the elderly 20g, says Kristin Salupuu, project manager of the Institute for HealthDevelopment, nutrition counselor to the Postimees health portal . According to him, the best foods containing vitamin d are fish, liver and (fortified) dairy products, as well as some eggs and meat.

The daily amount of 10µg of vitamin D is found in:

• about 20 grams of cod liver;
• about 45 grams of cooked salmon or herring;
• about 110 grams in the heat treated area;
• in about 1 liter of fortified unflavoured yoghurt.

“Of course —, this does not mean and  that you should eat at least 20 gram of cod liver, 45 grams of cooked salmon or a liter of yogurt every day,” said Salupuu. He added that the diet should be varied, making choices both between and within food groups. According to the

website of the Institute for Health Development, vitamin D is mainly found in foods of animal origin and in a non-absorbable form in some fungal species.

Vitamin D is needed:

• for better absorption of calcium and phosphorus,
• to promote bone and tooth development,
• to support blood clotting and heart function,
• to reduce the risk of infection and diabetes.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets in children and in adults it can contribute to osteomalacia, or softening of the bones, and osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones . During the summer months, it is enough for the sun to shine on the face and arms for 6-8 minutes 2-3 times a week for people with fair skin pigmentation to receive an estimated 5-10 μg of vitamin D per day. People with dark skin pigmentation should stay in the sun for 10-15 minutes a day.

Large amounts of vitamin D in food supplements are toxic and can lead to blood calcium levels being above normal and kidney failure. It is practically impossible to get such a large amount with food, but it can be obtained by excessive consumption of a food supplement, such as fish liver oil.